The council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme is set out in part 6 of the council’s constitution.

Independent Remuneration Panel

Constitution of the panel

The panel shall consist of at least three members of the public.
The panel members must not be elected members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
The panel members must not be disqualified for being an elected member (see section 80 of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended).
The panel members will elect a chair from the panel members on an annual basis.

Remit

Regulations provide for the Independent Remuneration Panel to review, on at least an annual basis, the Members Allowance Scheme in force for the time being, and any associated matters which might be referred to the Panel by the Director of Corporate Resources, but including the following:-

To make recommendations to the council as to the amount of basic allowance payable to its elected members.
To make recommendations to the council about the categories of members who should receive a special responsibility allowance and the amount of such allowance.
To make recommendations as to whether the council allowances scheme should include an allowance in respect of the expenses of arranging for the care of children and dependants and if it does make such a recommendation the amount of the allowance and the means by which it is determined.

Appointment of the panel

1. Appointments to the panel are by way of nomination by the Director of Corporate Resources in consultation with the council's Monitoring Officer or the Deputy Monitoring Officer, and the independent person appointed under section 28(7) of the Localism Act 2011.

2. Members of the panel should have the following characteristics:-

they should be prominent or active members of the local community;
they should have knowledge of, or an interest in, government and local government, and
they should not hold office in any political party (this does not preclude membership of a political party.

Terms of office

A panel member’s term of office is for one year from the date of their appointment.
During this first year the council will review the term of office and may invite the panel member to extend the term beyond one year. Subsequent invitations may thereafter be extended.

Reporting Arrangements

The panel is required to report on the above issues and to make recommendations to the council at least once every year.

Expenses

Panel members will be entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses in relation to costs incurred in the discharge of their functions in accordance with the councils approved rates.