Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales meeting: 19 January 2023

• Frances Duffy, Chair.
• Saz Willey, Vice Chair.
• Bev Smith.
• Leighton Jones, Secretariat.

The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (the Panel) met on Thursday 19 January.

The aim of the meeting was to discuss and agree the recommendations proposed in several papers that related to the responses received during the consultation of the draft annual report for 2023. These papers covered the ASHE comparator, payments to co-opted members, the remuneration for community and town councillors and the statutory requirement for Councils on the adoption of the Panel determinations.

Below summarises the Panel’s discussions and decisions.

The Panel reviewed a paper on ASHE. This paper outlined the proposed ASHE comparators that the Panel use as the basis for payments for elected members to principal councils. The use of the ASHE data will be included in the strategy development work of the Panel for 2024 to 2025.

The Panel discussed the payment of co-opted members. This paper presented the Panel with options of paying co-opted members, following responses to the draft annual report. An update will be included in the final report to be published in late February.

The Panel considered the recommendations in the paper related to the Community and Town Council sector. An update on the taxation of expenses and the opt out option of receiving allowances will be included in the final report to be published in late February.

The Panel reviewed how authorities comply with the determinations of the Panel when the draft and final reports are published. This will be summarised in the final report.

The Panel discussed and agreed four queries that had been received from a Principal Council, a Community and Town Council and two individuals, through the Secretariat. These queries asked the Panel for advice and clarification relating to payments to committee members, the processing of and retrospective payments to Councillors.

The next meeting of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales will take place on Friday 10 February.

Should you have any matters you wish to raise with the Panel, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the Secretariat by emailing IRPMailbox@gov.wales.