Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales meeting: 20 June 2023

Frances Duffy, Chair
Saz Willey, Vice Chair
Bev Smith, Member
Kathryn Watkins, Member
Dianne Bevan, Member
Sara Rees (Secretariat)

The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (the Panel) met on Tuesday 20 June. 

The aim of the meeting was to sign off the quarterly risk register, discuss Payments to co opted members of Principal Councils and review the Communications Plan. The Panel also considered queries received since the last meeting.   

Below summarises the Panel’s discussions and decisions: 

Risk Register 

The Panel agreed many of the risks are inherent and should be based on business as usual whilst factoring in contributions towards the Panel transitioning over to the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission.

The Panel signed off the revised risk register. This will be reviewed and updated each quarter. 

Payments to Co-opted Members of Principal Councils

Following the publication of the 2023 draft annual report in October 2022, the Panel received responses to the consultation from Ceredigion County Council and a co-opted member at Swansea Council on how co-opted members are paid. The Heads of Democratic Services at Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion County Councils also raised the issue. The Panel therefore agreed to consider 
the issues raised.

The Heads of Democratic Services at Pembrokeshire and Swansea joined the Panel’s meeting to consider. The Chair of the Panel met the Head of Democratic Services at Ceredigion County Council ahead of the Panel meeting.

The Panel agreed there are 3 issues for consideration:

• Changes in the working environment. Majority of meetings are often held on online and are shorter.
• Hybrid working allows greater flexibility, where individuals make use of time, instead of filling up full days with committee work.
• Changes in the 2021 Act.

The Panel stated the cap on number of days worked is the responsibility of each county council to ensure that local situations are accounted for whereas the Panel’s role is to issues on balance and apply consistency in methodology before agreeing any determinations.

The Panel stated that any changes to payments of co-opted members would need to be considered during the election cycle, so that any anomalies could be reviewed. 

The Panel would also seek views on Green Travel ahead of publishing the next Annual Report. Hybrid working is an area which the Panel would investigate.

Heads of Democratic Services to provide an indication of the number of days and hours for co-opted members. The Panel would then revisit the issue at the September meeting.  

Communications Strategy

The Panel agreed to update the Communication Strategy with revisions. Once finalised the Strategy would be translated and published on the website.

Communications Plan  

The Panel signed off its Communications Plan.

Engagement 

Engagement Day to take place week commencing 20 or 27 November. Date to be agreed at next meeting.

The Panel discussed and agreed queries that had been received from 2 County Councils through the Secretariat. These queries asked the Panel for advice and clarification relating to processing of payments to Councillors. 

The next meeting of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales will take place on Tuesday 8 September, where the Panel will finalise their communications and engagement plan and discuss their Research and Evidence Plan.

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.