Decision details

(1)      The Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendation to increase the Mayoral allowance from £79,000 to £95,000 was approved.

(2)      The Mayoral allowance not be backdated to May 2021, as had been recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel.

(3)      An interim Deputy Mayoral allowance of £10,000 was agreed, and that the recommended allowance of £31,675 (less any basic and special responsibility allowances received) be referred back to the Independent Remuneration Panel for further explanation and clarification as to how the benchmarking of the role had been undertaken, particularly in respect of comparisons against the responsibilities of a Leader of a metropolitan local authority.

(4)      The Deputy Mayor’s interim allowance be backdated to May 2021.

(5)      The Independent Remuneration Panel’s suggestion to recommend to constituent authorities that they set an additional responsibility allowance for Portfolio Leads in the sum of £9,500 be not pursued.

(6)      It was agreed that the Monitoring Officer should write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities to request that the West Midlands Combined Authority Order 2016 be further amended to allow the payment of allowances to all members and co-opted members of the WMCA.

(7)      It was agreed, pending the outcome of the transport governance review, to retain the allowances paid to the Chair and members of the Transport Delivery Committee.

(8)      It was agreed that the Chair of the Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee should receive a Chair’s allowance of £9,500.

(9)      It was agreed that the Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee should receive a Chair’s allowance of £6,650 and that it be backdated to May 2021.

(10)    It was agreed all allowances should be index linked and increased annually as proposed.

(11)    It was agreed that the current scheme of travel and subsistence allowances should continue to apply to all members of the WMCA.