Isle of Wight councillors are being asked to agree that councillors’ allowances will not be increasing in the next financial year, 2023/24.
Approval of the Members’ Allowance Scheme – with basic allowance set at £8,832 – will be going to the Full Council meeting on 15th March for consideration.
The recommendation
Papers for the meeting reveal that no changes have been recommended for 2023/2024 and “no further formal review has been requested at the present time or is required”.
They go on to confirm that “the only changes that might occur during 2023/2024 would be if there were any change agreed nationally under the terms of the current indexation provision, and the IRP would be first consulted with before any such change”.
Independent Remuneration Panel
Any reputational risk in the statutory process of councillors agreeing their own allowances, as set by Government, is offset through the recommendations being made by the Independent Remuneration Panel.
This is a Panel that is made up of people who are fully independent to the council. They meet to discuss the allowances, and put their recommendations forward to the council for approval.
Allowance budget
The basic allowance is set at £8,832 plus an annual indexation amount for 2023/2024 (if any agreed nationally).
The present total budget for members’ allowances, which includes on-Island travel, is £504,924.00.
You can see the full details in the document below.
