The Council is legally
required to operate an Independent Remuneration Panel in relation
to Councillors' allowances. The
Panel must consist of at least three people whose purpose is to
make recommendations about the allowances paid to elected members.
The Panel must review the Council's scheme each year.
The Council must have regard to the Panel's recommendations,
but need not follow them. Panel members cannot be a member of
the Council or one of its committees, or of an authority in respect
of which the Panel makes recommendations. In addition, they
must not be disqualified from being a member of a local
authority.
The Panel receives
information from Councillors to enable
them to reach informed decisions and considers comparative
information from other councils, interview Councillors and generally undertake whatever
research they consider necessary to enable them to make well
founded recommendations.