9.3.4 It is further proposed that the Chairman be allocated a Special Responsibility Allowance at Scale 4, which is currently, £7125. Although it is expected that the Committee will generally meet 4 times a year, it has a significant responsibility. There is also an expectation that the Chairman will keep him/herself briefed on key issues throughout the year.Statler worked out on his abacus that probably will be £500 an hour for the meetings attended (if they last 4 hours - unlikely).
Not content with that, the real sting in the tail is that the money for this is to be taken out of the Pension Fund itself. Did Council staff expect that their pension deductions would be going to pay a £500 / hour Chair?
There is plenty of time for the Constitution committee to amend this proposal and reduce the amount considerably to reflect the low level of commitment. Will they? Will the Labour or Liberal Democrats even have read the papers yet? Will they put down an amendment? Do they know how?
It's not like the old days, hey, Statler?
I wonder how happy council employees will be knowing that Councillors – most of whom couldn’t run a bath let alone a pension scheme – will have a say regarding their pension fund. How many Councillors have experience of finance and pension legislation?
ReplyDeleteThere should be a committee of trustees to oversee the fund, but it should be completely independent of the political process and the beneficiaries of the scheme should be entitled to more of a say other than being invited along to meetings as observers.