The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) Regulations 2003 provide for local authorities to establish and maintain an Independent Remuneration Panel to be responsible for the monitoring of the Members’ Allowance Scheme and to make recommendations to the Council regarding the scheme.  Independent Remuneration Panels make recommendations about the level of basic allowance for all Members, recommendations about the special responsibility allowances which can be paid and the levels of these allowances, recommendations about childcare and dependent carers’ allowances and the level of these allowances and the level of any travel and subsistence allowances payable.
 

The size of Panel for Braintree District Council is five and there is now an opportunity for up to three new members to join the Panel.
 

Members of the Independent Remuneration Panel must not be an elected Member of the Authority or a member of any committees of the Authority and must also not be disqualified from becoming a Member of the Authority, i.e. must not be:

An employee of Braintree District Council an adjudged bankrupt have been sentenced to imprisonment for 3 months or more within the last 5 years.
 

Meetings normally take place no more than 1 or 2 times a year at the Council Offices, although more frequent meetings may be required when a full review of the scheme is undertaken. Reviews are undertaken every five years, with the next full review due in 2010/11.