Charnwood Conservatives successfully over-rule Labour/Green Coalition councillor pay increases

CHARNWOOD CONSERVATIVE PRESS RELEASE

Charnwood Conservatives over-rule Labour/Green Coalition councillor pay increases

At the Monday 15th January 2024 Charnwood Borough council meeting, the Charnwood Conservative Group headed off a motion by the ruling Labour/Green Coalition to increase member special responsibility allowances, up by in some cases an eye-whopping 47%! The proposal was put forward by the Labour Leader for the Council, Cllr. Jewel Miah and were for the following increases in allowances:

• Leader: increase from £13,654 to £16,250, an increase of 19.01%.
• Cabinet Member: increase from £5,462 to £6,750, an increase of 23.58%.
• Plans Committee Chair: increase from £4,095 to £6,000, an increase of 46.52%.
• Leader of the Opposition: increase from £4,578 to £6,000, an increase of 31.06%.
• Scrutiny Commission Chair: increase from £4,095 to £6,000, an increase of 46.52%.
• All Councillors basic allowance: increase from £5,610 to £6,000, an increase of 6.95%.

Given that, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), average annual pay growth was 6.8% in the public sector from June to August 23 (the latest period for available data) and 8.0% in the private sector for the comparable period, the Charnwood Conservative Group proposed a more reasonable amendment to the Labour/Green motion that the special responsibility allowances and the basic allowance for councillors should all increase by only 6.9%, in line with average public sector wage growth. The amendment was carried out with Labour/Green coalition members abstaining/not voting.

Cllr Jenny Bokor, Leader of the Charnwood Conservative Group says: “This motion shows just how out of touch the Labour/Green Coalition are. Given the difficulties our residents are facing with cost of living increases, we felt it was simply not justifiable that members’ special responsibility allowances should go up by anything more than 6.9%. The Labour/Green coalition on the other hand are clearly happy to spend residents’ money on themselves. It is totally immoral”.

END

Sources:

• ONS: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/averageweeklyearningsingreatbritain/october2023
• Charnwood Borough Council 15th January Council Meeting Public Reports Pack: https://charnwood.moderngov.co.uk/mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=908

For further information on the above, please contact:

Cllr Deborah Taylor-Conservative Group Whip, Charnwood Borough Council

Email: [email protected]  Mobile: 07903 419 054

Councillor Baines said:

"Our residents are facing the current cost of living increases and it is simply immoral and not justifiable that members 'Special Responsibility Allowances' could be proposed by the Labour/Green coalition by anything more than a 6.9% increase. I am pleased local Conservatives managed to overturn their original recommendations"