Independent Remuneration Panel Member
Job introduction
Independent Remuneration Panel
Would you like a say in making sure that councillors' allowances are fair and balanced? Are you able to review information from a range of sources to arrive at an impartial and reasoned view?
We are looking to appoint a new Member of the Independent Remuneration Panel: the body which considers the allowances paid to councillors and makes recommendations about how much should be paid.
The Panel is made up of four people, who cannot be current councillors or council officers. Appointment is for an initial period of 3 years, which may be extended for a further period at the Council’s discretion. This is an important role, which requires a detailed and balanced approach to the review of comparative data from other local authorities and from discussions with elected members about their roles. An annual allowance of £568.74 is payable.
To be considered for the appointment, you must live or work in Brighton and Hove and have knowledge of local government or be able to demonstrate an interest in it. You should not be actively involved in local or national party politics.
About the role
What is the Independent Remuneration Panel?
Under the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, all local authorities are required to set up an independent panel to consider all issues relating to the level of payments to councillors, and to make recommendations to the Council.
The Panel meets to review the level of payments made in connection with the following:
- Members’ Basic Allowances
- Special Responsibility Allowance
- Dependant Carers’ Allowance
- Travel & Subsistence payments
- Co-opted members’ allowances
- Allowances for parish councillors
In any year when the Members Allowance Scheme is reviewed, the Panel will meet on approximately 3 occasions. Thereafter, as the Scheme lasts for 4 years, any further meetings would only arise if a specific issue was raised regarding the Scheme. Any such additional meetings would not be expected to be more that 1 per annum.
Brighton & Hove City Council has made a pledge to be an anti-racist council. The work to be a truly fair and inclusive workplace is ongoing, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.
You will receive an annual allowance of £568.74. Training will be provided.
Application is by curriculum vitae accompanied by a covering letter which details how you meet the selection criteria. The closing date for the return of completed applications is 12 midnight on Wednesday 4th January 2023. Interviews will be held via Teams on Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th or Tuesday 24th January 2023.
Additional information
Remote working with attendance at 1-3 meetings per annum.
It should be noted that this role requires enhanced employee vetting and that all candidates that progress beyond the initial application stages will be subject to a search of their public profile. Should you be successful in the recruitment process, you will be asked to sign consent for further verification checks to be conducted and that a refusal to sign this consent form will be treated as a withdrawal of your application.
The checks would be conducted by a qualified Investigator within the Counter Fraud Partnership Team in Internal Audit & Counter Fraud. Should any disclosable content be discovered, you would be given a right to respond and comment on the findings.
Company information
Encouraging a diverse workforce
Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.
Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce (brighton-hove.gov.uk).