Cambridge City Council held a meeting where members discussed and made decisions on several key issues, including the adoption of a new council constitution, recommendations for councillor allowances, and committee appointments. The council approved the draft constitution and agreed to consider the Independent Remuneration Panel's recommendations on allowances.

Cambridge City Council Constitution

The council approved the draft constitution, including the Local Government Association (LGA) model Code of Conduct¹, to take effect at the annual council meeting in May 2025. The Monitoring Officer has the responsibility to ensure the constitution is up to date and lawful, including making 'housekeeping changes' to ensure it is comprehensible and consistent as required. The constitution will be reviewed within nine months, and any further changes will be adopted through the correct channels.

The council commissioned the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) to support the council in developing an up-to-date constitution and leader and cabinet decision-making arrangements in accordance with the relevant legislation, guidance, and best practice.

Areas of update in the constitution include:

• Opposition Chairs for Scrutiny Committees
• Naming of Scrutiny Committees
• Referral of Motions by the Mayor
• Requirement for Motions to be Seconded
• Substitutes on Committees
• Cabinet Assistants (Executive Assistants)
• Debate Rules and Amendments
• Non-Key Decisions and Forward Plan

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel

The committee agreed to recommend to the council the adoption of the allowances and expenses as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel.

The Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) met in January 2025 to review the current Members’ Allowances Scheme. The panel's report sets out its findings and recommendations. All councillors were invited to make representations to the panel via an online survey, and several councillors were invited to meet the panel to discuss a series of questions to help inform the panel when completing their recommendations.

The panel made several recommendations, including:

• The basic allowance payable to all Councillors as £7,629 per annum, indexed annually for the next four years in line with percentage increase in staff salaries based on Spinal Column point 56 of the Council’s pay scales, starting in April 2025.
• The 'Stationery Allowance' payment of £75 per annum for each Councillor be withdrawn.
• That no councillor shall be entitled to receive at any time more than one Special Responsibility Allowance for any internal Council role and that a Councillor may receive up to ‘one additional Special Responsibility Allowance when representing the Council on any external body or organisation.
• Specific Special Responsibility Allowances for various positions, including Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, Executive Members, Leader of the Main Opposition Group, Scrutiny Committee Chairs, and others.

Committee Appointments

The committee agreed to recommend to the council the appointments to city council committees and joint partner bodies.

The following appointments were made:

• Performance, Assets & Strategy Overview & Scrutiny Committee: Councillors Gawthrope-Wood, Griffin, Baigent, Davey, Sheil, Porrer, Dalzell, Bennett
• Services, Communities & Climate Overview & Scrutiny Committee: Councillors Gardiner-Smith, Pounds, Baigent, Divkovic, TBC, Young, Hauk, Payne, Glasberg
• Civic Affairs & Audit Committee: Councillors McPherson, Gawthrope Wood, Robertson, Sheil, Dalzell, Bick, Bennett
• Employment Committee: Councillors Moore, Ashton, Davey, Nestor, Bick, Martinelli, Howard
• Licensing Act 2003 & Gambling Act 2005 Committee (Statutory Committee) & General Purposes & Licensing Committee: Councillors McPherson, Bird, Swift, Moore, Wade, Divkovic, Blackburn-Horgan, Lokhmotova, Bick, Clough
• Planning Committee: Councillors Smart, Baigent, Thornburrow, Todd-Jones, Dryden, Flaubert, Illingworth, Bennett
• Joint Planning Advisory Group: Councillors Thornburrow, S Smith, Gardiner-Smith, Porrer, TBC
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority: Councillor TBC
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Councillors Davey, Clough
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Audit and Governance Committee: Councillor Divkovic
• Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly: Councillors S Smith, Thornburrow, Bick
• Joint Development Management Committee - Cambridge Fringes: Councillors S Smith, Baigent, Smart, Thornburrow, Porrer, Flaubert
• Cambridge Joint Area Committee: Councillors Baigent, Thornburrow, Swift, Ashton, Lee, Payne

The following nominations for Chairs and Vice Chairs were made:

• Performance, Assets and Strategy: Chair - Councillor Porrer, Vice-Chair - Councillor Gawthrope-Wood
• Service, Communities and Climate: Chair - Councillor Young, Vice-Chair - Councillor Gardiner-Smith
• Civic Affairs & Audit: Chair - Councillor McPherson, Vice-Chair - Councillor Gawthrope-Wood
• Licensing: Chair - Councillor McPherson, Vice-Chair - Councillor TBC
• Planning: Chair - Councillor Smart, Vice-Chair - Councillor Baigent
• Joint Planning Advisory: Chair/Vice-Chair - Councillor Thornburrow

Appointments to Outside Bodies, Working Groups and Combined Authority Thematic Committees

The council noted the appointments to outside bodies subject to appointment of the Leader and Cabinet, the working groups, and the appointments to the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, final names subject to confirmation by the Leader.