
Chris Whitehouse: Councillor allowances should go up, not down
We need to ensure we are attracting those who can deliver effective and efficient services to our local communities.
We need to ensure we are attracting those who can deliver effective and efficient services to our local communities.
Plus: White elephants in Brighton – and Nottingham’s inept venture into the energy market.
We have reduced the number of councillors by 30 per cent and we froze allowances for nine years running.
Ever greater state funding is being followed by ever greater statism in political thought – and the decline of independent thought.
The structure and management of the council needs total reform. I would reduce the current 101 councillors to around 30.
Talk of being “cut to the bone” is nonsense. Here are some challenges councillors should be making about unnecessary spending.
The latest council leader to vote to increase his own allowances talks of himself as a business leader, not a public servant.
Chairing a committee is paid at the rate of over £2,000 per meeting.
Last year a council Chief Executive received an eight per cent rise, taking her salary to £170,000 – whilst most of her staff were stuck with the basic one per cent
We should have fewer councillors – but they should be full time.
Attacks on the Prime Minister were unfair and unreasonable – the local authority was the lead.
When it comes to fiscal prudency it is important to set a good example.
Bradford faces real challenges Labour prefers to spend money on frills and fripperies.
Think twice before giving a Chief Executive approaching retirement an 11 per cent increase on an already high salary.
In Wales councillors are paid a basic allowance of £13,300 – in Scotland it’s over £16,000.