Decision details

Received a reference from the Scrutiny Management Board (SMB) on its consideration of the Call-In received with respect to the Executive's decision of 25 December 2003 clarifying the issues associated with Members’ Telephones (Minute 206 refers).

After weighing up the information presented, the SMB concluded: that:

(i)  All Members should be treated equally in relation to the provision and related costs of telephones for Council business use, and as such all costs should be borne by Members from their Members’ allowances;

(ii)  There should be no exception to this rule, either now or in the future, and accordingly a) those with mobile telephones provided by the Council should be required to discontinue their use and hand them back, and b) the one remaining Centrex line connection should be disconnected;

(iii)  Should any Member position require a mobile telephone or other similar means of contact or communication, the Member holding that position should personally purchase the necessary equipment and pay for all costs, again making use of their basic or, where appropriate, special responsibility allowance.

The Chief Executive advised that the conclusions of the SMB were subject the Council’s Constitution, and on that basis we

Agreed to revise the original decision concerning telephones for Members accordingly, that is by reconfirming the original decision number 1 in relation to the telephone handsets provided with the computer equipment, but deleting 2 and 3 and replacing them with i), ii) and iii) above. 

The original decision number 4 is unaffected as this relates to IT support for Members and not telephones.