Waveney Councillors allowances - rounding up by 28.6% before the pending merger.
With a merger of the two District Councils pending, the Waveney District Councillors accept a back dated increase in allowances of 28.6%
On Wednesday, 24 January 2018 Waveney District councillors met to consider a report from the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) containing recommendations for a revised Waveney Members' Allowances Scheme back dated to 1 April 2017.
The decision that they had to make was to accept or reject the IRP following recommendations:
1. That the Basic Allowance for 2017/18 and 2018/19 be increased (from £3,722) to £4,787.57 per annum, back dated to 1 April 2017.
2. That the increased Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs)* be applied and back dated to 1 April 2017
*SRA's are for the Council Leader, Deputy, Cabinet holders. Chairs, Opposition Leader.
Background
The Panel had recommended that the Basic Allowance (BA) be increased in 2015 however, the Councillors had resolved that the BA would remain unchanged, and instead all Councillors received a one-off payment of £1,000 for IT equipment.
The Panel said that they were mindful that WDC may cease to exist from May 2019 onwards, should the Secretary of State agree to the proposals which WDC and Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC) have, to create a new Council for East Suffolk. Currently, SCDC Councillors receive a Basic Allowance of £4,787.57 per annum.
The new Council for East Suffolk, the ruling party claims, will bring about significant efficiency savings, however the decision this time was taken to round up allowances to the same level received by Suffolk Coastal members, whilst admitting a further review would probably be needed after the merger.
Council Leader Mark Bee added ,''councillors of all parties work incredibly hard for their local communities....... this increase would potentially only add, at the most, around £80,000 to the council's likely budget of £63 million."
'Waveney Tories vote for 28.6 rise in expenses!'
said local Lib Dem activist in Waveney, Christian Newsome.
"It is totally wrong that any rise should be considered, we are not out of the water with tory austerity causing real harm to families in the Waveney area. With higher Council tax bills about to drop through the door and prices increasing, many people in this area on some of the lowest average gross wages are struggling to make ends meet!"
"Waveney Conservative Councillors with one abstention) have voted in favour of raising their allowances by £1,065 per annum, an increase of over 28% following an independent remuneration panels review. I congratulate the tory abstainer and the Labour members for voting against the rise".
Labour Group Leader, Sonia Barker stated "This is absolutely the wrong time for such an enormous increase which is morally indefensible and will look to residents as just plain greedy".
"Labour members however, have not said what they will do when their councillors receive the increase...Do they donate it to charity? Or keep it? In our neighbouring Norfolk County Council, our Lib Dem Councillors are giving their 11% increase to local ward charities".
Christian said: "Mark Bee is right in saying councillors do a good job, however money should NOT be the motivator" I know for certain if I was a Lib Dem councillor, it would not be money that would motivate me"
For IRP Report:
