Councillors refuse pay rise (From South Wales Argus)

Councillors refuse pay rise

1:10pm Wednesday 8th April 2009 in Search Exclusive By Hana Callard

THE recession has prompted Monmouthshire's elected councillors to reject an increase of 2.5 per cent for their basic and special responsibility allowances.

But one "underpaid" member says this decision was simply bowing to media pressure following recent figures detailing MPs' and AMs' expenses.

Cllr Andrew Crump, of Raglan, said: "I believe for the work every member in this chamber does we are very, very poorly paid. We work up to 70 or 80 hours a week. I think this is bowing to gutter press and nonsense headlines.

"Two years ago we didn’t take the increase and we didn’t get a ‘thank you’ and last year we only took half the increase and that didn’t get so much as a mention."

Monmouthshire councillors rejected the increase at a meeting of the full council, with leader of the council Peter Fox saying the acceptance of such a raise would be "wrong and immoral".

The increase was recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and some councillors expressed a wish to see the panel’s recommendations become completely prescriptive, taking decisions on allowances out of councillors’ hands.

Cllr Fox said: "In the current economic climate this is not a recommendation we can support at this time. In light of all the factors we are facing at the moment it would be wrong and immoral to accept this.

"We wish for the panel to be prescriptive totally in the future so these decisions are not something we have to consider."

Cllr Bob Greenland agreed: "I’ve always felt very strongly that it’s not right for members to make decisions on allowances. I honestly believe an independent panel is the best way of deciding the level of remuneration for all councillors."

He added: "But we can’t ignore the current circumstances. I feel that in view of the economic climate we cannot accept this raise."

All county councillors receive a basic allowance, currently £13,030. Thousands of pounds more in additional special responsibility allowances are paid to each higher-ranking councillor such as the leader, deputy leader, cabinet members and committee chiefs.