The Standards Committee of Haringey Council met on Monday 29 June 2026 to discuss updates to the Members' Allowances Scheme, a dispensation for councillors serving on the North London Waste Authority, and proposed constitutional changes. The meeting also reviewed the committee's work programme and confirmed the membership of its sub-committees.

Members Allowances Scheme Update

The committee was scheduled to consider updates to the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-2027. This update was prompted by government legislation introduced on 11 May 2026, which allows councillors in England to access the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The report outlined that the updated scheme would formalise this access and include key information for members on how to opt in and make payments from their basic allowance. The report recommended that the updated scheme be adopted by Full Council on 20 July 2026.

The proposed scheme details a basic allowance of £12,234.00 for each Councillor. It also outlines Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) for various roles, with the Leader receiving the highest SRA of £33,926. The scheme also covers travel expenses, mayoral allowances, co-optees' allowances, and provisions for babysitting, dependants, travelling, and subsistence. Furthermore, it details allowances for maternity, adoption, shared parental, paternity, and sickness leave, ensuring members continue to receive their basic allowance and, for a limited period, their SRA during such leave.

The report highlighted that councillors can now access the LGPS, which provides pension benefits for elected members under 75. To join, councillors need to complete a joining form, and contributions will be deducted from their allowance. The LGPS offers pension benefits, life cover, and potential early retirement options, with the earliest pension age set to increase to 57 from April 2028.

Dispensation for North London Waste Authority Membership

The committee was asked to consider granting a dispensation to Councillors Johann Beckford and Gio Iozzi, who had been appointed as Haringey Council's representatives on the North London Waste Authority (NLWA). The NLWA is the statutory joint waste disposal authority for north London, responsible for waste disposal for seven boroughs, including Haringey.

The report explained that membership of the NLWA could constitute a personal or prejudicial interest for these councillors under the Council's Members' Code of Conduct. Without a dispensation, they would be prohibited from participating in discussions and voting on matters relating to NLWA business. The report recommended granting the dispensation to allow them to participate in debates and votes on matters concerning waste disposal, energy from waste, waste facilities, waste transfer stations, reuse, and recycling. It was suggested that granting this dispensation would be in the interests of persons living in the council's area, potentially fostering closer alignment between the NLWA's aims and those of Haringey Council.

Constitutional Changes and Sub-Committee Membership

The committee was scheduled to review proposed constitutional changes, with a report from the Monitoring Officer to follow. Additionally, the committee was asked to confirm the membership of the Standards Assessment and Hearing Sub-Committees. The recommendation was to maintain the same membership for both sub-committees as that of the Standards Committee itself, citing the need for members' expertise and discretion. The report outlined the remit of the Standards Committee, its Assessment Sub-Committee, and its Hearing Sub-Committee, as defined in the Council's Constitution. The Assessment Sub-Committee is responsible for assessing allegations of misconduct, while the Hearing Sub-Committee conducts hearings and determines such allegations.

Committee Work Programme

The committee was presented with its current work programme and invited to provide input on suggested areas of future work. For the meeting scheduled for 3 November 2026, potential topics included changes to the Council Constitution, the Members' Code of Conduct, and the consultation on strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England.