Basic Salary
Each Member of the Council will receive a basic salary of £21,345.00 per annum...

Senior Councillors
In terms of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Amendment Regulations 2024, the Council will pay Senior Councillor Salaries to Members with special responsibilities.

Role ANNUAL SALARY(£)

Chair of Planning Applications Committee/LRB 26,686

Vice Chair of Planning Applications Committee/LRB 26,686


++ £26,686pa minus Basic £21,345pa = £5,341pa Remuneration ++


Using updated figures(not including 2025 meetings)

The Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees has only chaired 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022

- apparently taking in 2022 from May 2022 approx £3,264 for chairing 5 meetings out of 12 (with Remuneration £24,467 - Basic £19,571 salary)

- apparently taking in 2023 £5,029 for chairing 3 meetings out of 11 (with Remuneration £25,128 - Basic £20,099 salary)

- apparently taking in 2024 £5,341 for chairing 1 meeting out of 11 (with Remuneration £26,686 - Basic £21,345 salary)

Only chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and apparently taking the full remuneration (apparently £5,341 for chairing only 1 meeting out of 11 in 2024) and apparently taking this money for work they have not carried out, would appear to be a serious abuse of the system.

The following Councillors were asked these questions and asked to respond

Lunday
Bamforth
Buchanan
Ireland
Merrick
McLean
Wallace
Anderson
MacDonald
Council Leader O'Donnell

Any responses received will be posted.

------ Original Message ------
Sent: Monday, January 13th 2025, 15:40
Subject: Chairing /Non Chairing of Planning Application/LRB Committees - Senior Council Salary of £26,686 as compared to basic salary of £21,345(Now as at 1 April 2024)

Senior Councillors with special responsibilities - payments of currently £26,686 as compared to basic salary of currently £21,345(Now as at 1 April 2024)

As you spoke at the Council meeting on 29 June 2022, in a Motion regarding Senior Councillor Remuneration, would appreciate if you would have the courtesy to raise this matter and investigate this abuse of the Senior Councillor Remuneration System, whereby Senior Councillors apparently take remuneration for work they have not carried out.

The current Planning Applications/LRB Committee Chair was appointed Planning Applications/LRB Committee Chair in May 2022.

The current Planning Applications/LRB Committee Chair was appointed a Senior Councillor and takes payment currently £26,686 as compared to basic salary of currently £21,345.

Both the Chair and Vice Chair are currently Senior Councillors taking the Senior Councillor Remuneration.

The current Planning Applications/LRB Committee Chair has only chaired 9 out of 34 meetings since appointment in May 2022.

The Senior Councillor has taken roughly £13,689, for Chairing 9 out of 34 meetings since May 2022(period of 31 months).

(Senior Councillors takes roughly £5,300 pa in addition to Basic Salary)

This is roughly £1521 per meeting chaired.

15 June 2022 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

10 August 2022 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair - LRB - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

24 August 2022 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

20 September 2022 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

7 June 2023 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair - LRB - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

29 November 2023 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

24 November 2024 - Councillor Cunningham in the Chair

Where available you should view the recordings of these above meetings on ERC youtube channel

www.youtube.com/@eastrenfrewshire/videos...rt=dd&shelf_id=4

The Council at its meeting on 29 June 2022, agreed a Motion that a Senior Councillor Allowance be paid to the Vice Chair of Planning Applications Committee/LRB.

You spoke at the meeting.

The very least you can do is view this recording and indeed I would ask that you view the recording of the meeting here - The motion starts at 13minutes 50 seconds



Cllr David MacDonald makes good points at 29:13 in the recording Regarding giving remuneration to both Chair and Vice Chair

and

says at 31:50 ' that it is probably most likely to do with the fact that the Vice Chair will be doing the lion's share of the work in that committee for whatever reason'

You may also wish to read the emails below.

The choice of Senior Councillors is a political initiative that ensures monetory gain for those chosen as Senior Councillors.

Abuse of the system brings all Councillors into disrepute.

I would appreciate your action to confront this apparent abuse of the Senior Councillor Renumration.

Thanks



------ Original Message ------
Sent: Monday, January 20th 2025, 11:13
Subject: Re: Chairing /Non Chairing of Planning Application/LRB Committees - Senior Council Salary of £26,686 as compared to basic salary of £21,345(Now as at 1 April 2024)

Would appreciate courtesy of response regarding your investigation into this apparent abuse.

Remaining silent and hoping matters will disappear regarding payments to Councillors is never the correct way forward in these circumstances.

The current Planning Applications/LRB Committee Chair has only chaired 9 out of 34 meetings since appointment in May 2022.

5 out of 12 in 2022

3 out of 11 in 2023

1 out of 11 in 2024

The Senior Councillor has taken roughly £13,689, for Chairing 9 out of 34 meetings since May 2022(period of 31 months).

(Senior Councillors takes roughly £5,300 pa in addition to Basic Salary)

This is roughly £1521 for each meeting chaired.

Your help will be appreciated.

Thanks


------ Original Message ------
Sent: Friday, February 7th 2025, 12:41
Subject: Your Responsibilty Regarding Apparent Abuse of Senior Council Remuneration - Chairing of only 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 by Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees

Would still appreciate your action to confront this apparent abuse of the Senior Councillor Remuneration and would appreciate courtesy of response to this and previous emails below.

The Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees  in only Chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022

- Has apparently taken in 2022 from May 2022 approx £3,264 for chairing 5 meetings out of 12 (with Remuneration £24,467 - Basic £19,571 salary)

- Has apparently taken in 2023 £5,029 for chairing 3 meetings out of 11 (with Remuneration £25,128 - Basic £20,099 salary)

- Has apparently taken in 2024 £5,341 for chairing 1 meeting out of 11 (with Remuneration £26,686 - Basic £21,345 salary)

(Above updated from previous to reflect more accurate figures)

Cllr Wallace also attended and spoke in the motion at the 29 June 2022 Council meeting.

He has written to say you should be contacted as it is your responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds...

'All elected members have a shared responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds... if you feel these issues require further investigation, you may wish to consider raising them with another elected member...'

It would appear, by keeping silent and ignoring the matter, Councillors are actually more concerned in covering over this apparent abuse rather than ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds and investigating the apparent abuse.

If you can prove to me and give reasons why there has been no abuse then I can accept that, rather than you just ignoring the matter, without any investigation.

As you have not given a response, would also appreciate if you confirm my understanding that

- You support the Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees in Chairing only 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and consider this acceptable behaviour by a Senior Councillor.

- You support and consider it acceptable the Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees taking the remuneration of roughly £13,634, for only Chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and for meetings they have not chaired

Not Chaired 7 out of 12 meetings in 2022 (From May 2022)

Not Chaired 8 out of 11 meetings in 2023

Not Chaired 10 out of 11 meetings in 2024

Councillors appoint these posts/councillors.

A Motion to appoint is put before Full Council.

All Councillors vote for the Motion or an Amendment if one is submitted.

Therefor ALL Councillors are responsible for these appointments and it is perfectly reasonable to seek your response.

I am informed -

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, any Elected Member can bring forward a motion to Council to remove a Senior Councillor from such a role. A Senior Elected Member may also decide to step down from their role.

Once appointed as a Senior Elected Member they have entitlement to the allowance set out in the Scheme until they resign or are removed from that position as above.

It would therefore appear you are responsible, can investigate and depending on the outcome of the investigation either -

Bring forward a motion to Council to remove a Senior Councillor from such a role.

Suggest to a Senior Elected Member they step down from their role.

or

Give reasons why 

the Chair of Planning Application/LRB Committees taking the remuneration of roughly £13,634, for only Chairing 9 of 34 Meetings held since May 2022 and taking remuneration for meetings they have not chaired

Not Chairing 7 out of 12 meetings in 2022

Not Chairing8 out of 11 meetings in 2023

Not Chairing 10 out of 11 meetings in 2024

is acceptable and continue as is.

Council Leader Cllr Owen O'Donnell provided these answers to questions, avoiding giving any answers to if the Senior Councillor Remunerstion was being abused.

Q1. Under what circumstances/reasons can a Councillor cease to be entitled to a Senior Councillor Salary?

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, any Elected Member can bring forward a motion to Council to remove a Senior Councillor from such a role. A Senior Elected Member may also decide to step down from their role.

Q8. Would appreciate if you would give the reasons why the current Chair has and would appear to be classed as a Senior Councillor with the remuneration paid of £25,128 when they have only Chaired 6 of these 18 Planning Application meetings and 2 of these 15 Local Review Body Meetings.

Once appointed as a Senior Elected Member they have entitlement to the allowance set out in the Scheme until they resign or are removed from that position as outlined in my response to question 1 above.

Full Council Meeting - 25 May 2022

It would appear there is no archive recording available for this meeting on Council website.

From meeting minute -

(xvi) Appointment of Planning Applications Committee Chair and Vice Chair
Councillor O’Donnell, seconded by Councillor Devlin, moved that Councillor Cunningham be appointed Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.

Councillor Buchanan, seconded by Councillor Convery, moved as an amendment that Councillor Ireland be appointed Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.

On the roll being called, Provost Montague and Councillors Anderson, Campbell, Cunningham, Devlin, Edlin, Macdonald, McLean, Morrison, O’Donnell, Pragnell and Wallace voted for the motion.

Councillors Bamforth, Buchanan, Convery, Ireland, Lunday, and Merrick voted for the amendment.

Accordingly, the motion was declared carried and Councillor Cunningham appointed Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.

The Council unanimously agreed that Councillor McLean be appointed Vice Chair of the Planning Applications Committee.


Full Council Meeting - 29 June 2022

You can view recording on Council youtube channel here -



From the minute -

Apologies:
Councillors Betty Cunningham and Jim McLean

NOTICE OF MOTION – SENIOR COUNCILLOR ALLOWANCES
48. In accordance with Standing Order 25, the following notice of motion had been submitted by Councillor O’Donnell, seconded by Councillor Anderson.
That a Senior Councillor Allowance for the Vice Chair of Planning will be created and the Senior Councillor Allowance removed from the position of Convener of Environment.

Councillor Buchanan, seconded by Councillor Bamforth, moved an amendment in the following terms:-
That a Senior Councillor Allowance for the Vice Chair of Planning will not be created and the Senior Councillor Allowance not be removed from the position of Convener of Environment.

On the roll being called, Councillors Anderson, Campbell, Devlin, Edlin, Provost Montague, Morrison, O’Donnell, Pragnell and Wallace voted for the motion.

Councillors Bamforth, Buchanan, Convery, Ireland, Lunday and Merrick voted for the amendment.

Councillor Macdonald abstained.

There being 9 votes for the motion, 6 for the amendment and 1 abstention, the motion was declared carried.

The administration and the leader of Council do not appoint appoint Chair and Vice Chair etc.

A Motion to appoint is put before Full Council.

All Councillors vote for the Motion or an Amendment if one is submitted.

The appointment of Senior Councillors is an initiative that ensures monetory gain for those chosen as Senior Councillors.

Abuse of the system brings all Councillors into disrepute.

I would still appreciate your action to confront this apparent abuse of the Senior Councillor Remuneration.

As said, If you can prove to me and give reasons why there has been no abuse then I can accept that, rather than you just ignoring the matter, without any investigation.

Your help will be appreciated.

Thanks