Stroud District Council and Gloucester City Council are looking for members of the public to join its shared Members’ Allowances Panel which is responsible for reviewing the levels of allowances paid to councillors.
The operation of the panel is crucial in providing the impartiality which enables public confidence in the allowance system. The panel aims to be fair, open and effective.
Key Responsibilities:
- review existing councillor remuneration and allowances, ensuring they reflect the responsibilities and time commitments involved.
- review councillor remuneration and allowances for relevant parish and town councils
- engage in research and consult with stakeholders, including councillors, council officers, and members of the public, to gather relevant insights.
- produce clear and comprehensive reports, making evidence-based recommendations on remuneration schemes.
- maintain independence, impartiality, and transparency throughout the review process
Applications to join the panel are invited from interested people. You must:
- be objective, impartial, and capable of making recommendations free from external influence.
- be of the highest integrity;
- be able to understand and analyse complex issues;
- have good literacy and numeracy skills;
- be able to exercise sound judgement in considering evidence;
- not be disqualified from standing as a councillor; and
- not be a councillor within the borough/district or employee of Stroud District Council or Gloucester City Council (or a close relative of either) or serve on any of their committees, sub-committees (for example as a co-opted Member) or other joint arrangements;
- not have any active connections with any political party;
- be willing to attend meetings in Stroud, Gloucester and online and communicate regularly via email.
This is not a paid position, but reasonable travel expenses will be payable.
This is a unique opportunity to be involved in an important aspect of local government, as well as gain a real insight into to the roles of councillors and the work they undertake.
If you are interested in applying to join the panel, further information regarding the panel can be found here: application-form-and-criteria.docx
