Changes are being proposed to allowances for Kirklees councillors.
The Independent Remuneration Panel that makes recommendations has put forward a special responsibility allowance for two roles.
They are proposing a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) of £7,365 for the four chairs of the new District Committees - Labour members Simon Alvy (Batley and Spen chair), Darren O’Donovan (Dewsbury and Mirfield chair) Naheed Mather (Huddersfield chair) and Independent Edgar Holroyd-Doveton (Kirklees Rural chair).
The committees will play a key part in how Kirklees devolves powers, with streetscene functions said to be devolved to wider communities.
While a SRA of £6,000 a year will be paid to the council’s two members on the Police and Crime Panel - Clrs Phil Scott (Almondbury Lib Dem) and Masood Ahmed (Dewsbury South Labour).
The additional cost is £12,282, although some savings have been made.
Kirklees will save £138 for each of its Police and Crime Panel members as the allowance is reduced to ensure parity of panel members from across the West Yorkshire Police force area.
While the District Committee allowance is higher than the previous Area Committee allowance of £2,454, there were seven Area Committee chairs.
The report to members says: “The Chief Executive wishes to make it explicitly clear that in the short term the important role of District Chairs will be to act in an advisory capacity to the Cabinet in determining the future.
“They do not have formal decision making authority beyond those for existing Area Committees until the Cabinet or Council, as relevant, formally devolve functions.”
All other councillor allowances remain the same, however the report notes that at November’s meeting to consider allowances for 2015/16 the “Panel recognised, that given the changes taking place within the Council, it may be timely to review the Scheme, particularly in the context of the changing role of councillors”.
Members of the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee will consider the proposals on Friday before July’s Full Council debate and final approval.
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