Issue - meetings

To review the Council’s approach to the remuneration of the Returning Officer (in Kirklees this is designated as the Chief Executive) for local elections.

Contact: Shauna Coyle, Head of People Services

Exempt information is provided in the appendix to the report.  Consideration must be given to whether the public and press should be excluded from the meeting prior to the determination of the matter to enable the exempt information to be discussed by passing the following resolution:- To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of this item of business, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act. 

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the payment of a fee to the Returning Officer for the delivery of local elections, equating to a fee per 10,000 of the electorate of 53.5%, in line with the current locally agreed approach for national and regional elections.

(The report included exempt information in accordance with Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, namely it contains information relating to financial and business affairs of third parties (including the Authority holding that information)).

The Committee gave consideration to a report which sought to review the Council’s approach to remunerating the Returning Officer (RO) for local elections, in order to recognise the personal responsibility attached to this function.

The Committee noted that the Returning Officer role, held by the Chief Executive, carried personal statutory responsibility which is separate from their duties as Chief Executive, and while fees are currently paid for regional and national elections, no such arrangement exists for local elections in Kirklees.

The report explained that the proposed remuneration would align with the government’s methodology for national elections, applying a rate of £475 per 10,000 electors, with a locally agreed application of 53.5%. Based on the current electorate of 319,308, this would result in a fee of £8,114.34. The cost would be absorbed into the elections budget and adjusted over the next five years.

The Committee noted that this approach would ensure consistency with national standards and reflect the personal accountability of the RO. The decision would not affect existing arrangements for regional and national elections, and any changes would be reflected in future pay policy statements.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the payment of a fee to the Returning Officer for the delivery of local elections, equating to a fee per 10,000 of the electorate of 53.5%, in line with the current locally agreed approach for national and regional elections.