Race and Faith Inquiry - panel remuneration

Report: 16
Date: 2 April 2009
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report proposes remuneration for the Chair of the Race and Faith Inquiry Panel and a basis for deciding on similar positions in the future.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the Chair of the Race and Faith Inquiry, Cindy Butts, receive a one-off allowance of £7,500; and
2. that future situations where members are asked to undertake a significant piece of work be judged on a case by case basis, taking into account the kinds of factors outlined in paragraph 4 of this report.

B. Supporting information

1. At its meeting in December, the Committee agreed that the external members of the Race and Faith Inquiry should be paid a sum of £5,000 for their work on the Inquiry. The Committee also agreed that further thought should be given to the position of Cindy Butts as Chair of the Panel and asked for a report in due course proposing a policy on when it would be appropriate to remunerate MPA members over and above their allowance.

2. MPA members receive an allowance for their work on the MPA, as agreed in the MPA’s Scheme of Members’ Allowances. This allowance is based largely on a broad assessment of the amount of time they would need to devote to their role. There is an expectation that members will participate not only through formal Authority and committee meetings but also in other formal or informal meetings, such as scrutinies.

3. It must be recognised, however, that while some activities can be accommodated within the expectations of the member role, some will place much greater demands on a member and cannot be carried out without a significant extra commitment of time and effort. It is suggested that chairing the Race and Faith Inquiry falls into this latter category. It is effectively a discrete piece of work which over a period of some six or so months will place additional demands on its Chair over and above the existing requirements of her role as Chair of the Communities, Engagement and People Committee. It is therefore proposed that Cindy Butts should receive an additional one-off allowance in recognition of this.

4. This proposal needs to be seen in the context of similar situations that may occur in the future. It is not really possible to develop a definitive policy to cover such situations and they will largely have to be determined on a case by case basis. However, it is suggested that the following factors should be considered when and if necessary:

• The likely time demands and how these fit in with the member’s existing MPA commitments
• Whether on the basis of the subject matter the activity could reasonably be considered to be part of a member’s normal responsibilities. For instance, in the case of the Race and Faith Inquiry, had the Authority so decided the Inquiry could equally have been chaired by an external person
• What approach has been adopted in previous cases

5. In this case the Committee is recommended to agree the payment of a one-off allowance to Cindy Butts of £7,500. It is considered that her level of remuneration should be higher than the £5,000 agreed for the other Panel members because her role as Chair involves significantly more work particularly around working with the officers in the planning and programming of the Inquiry and in the production of the final report and recommendations. Had an external person been appointed to chair the Inquiry it is very likely that the level of remuneration would have had to be higher. There is therefore a recognition that whilst this represents an additional commitment, Cindy Butts does receive an annual allowance from the MPA which could be considered to be partial remuneration for this role.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no apparent implications.

D. Financial implications

The proposed payment will be met from the budget for this inquiry.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Simon Vile, Head of Corporate Secretariat, MPA.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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