Council leader urges freeze on members' allowances

Members of East Riding Council received a record-breaking 1.2m in allowances last year after voting for an increase last year.

But Tory council leader Steve Parnaby said if the independent panel that examines councillors’ pay recommended a rise, he would oppose it.

The panel would also be looking at the special responsibility allowances paid to many of the councillors.

Coun Parnaby said: “Public sector pay is frozen for two years at least and I don’t believe councillors should be treated any differently.”

He added: “The council is facing reductions and every budget has to be looked at. Members’ allowances are no exception.”

East Riding Council is facing 30m cuts over the next four years, but council tax is set to be frozen for next year.

The leader of the Independent group, Coun Barbara Jefferson, proposed freezing councillors’ allowances, saving 83,000, last year, but was outvoted.

Yesterday she said: “I said it was a good idea if members did it and show residents that we were trying to take some of the burden. But I was literally laughed at.”

All councillors are paid a basic responsibility allowance of 10,711 a year.

The majority – 47 councillors – received special responsibility allowances on top of their basic pay, including 13,897 for members of the Cabinet.

Coun Parnaby received a total of 48,689 in allowances in 2009-2010, including a basic allowance of 10,711, with 34,572, for his role as leader and a travel allowance of 3,406.

The Hull and East Riding co-ordinator of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, Andrew Allison, said: “Hull froze its allowances four years ago – why has it taken the East Riding so long?”

The panel last year recommended slashing controversial allowances paid to chairmen of new “local area action” teams by more than 60 per cent.