Labour leader to cut York cabinet posts

Councillors in cabinet posts receive an additional allowance so reducing the number from eight to six would produce a saving of around £28,000.

The idea has been put forward by Coun Dafydd Williams, recently elected leader of the Labour group, who will be nominated as the authority’s new leader at a meeting on Thursday.

He has already promised to give the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups seats at the Cabinet table but has asked that they do not take an additional allowance as they are already paid more as group leaders.

Coun Williams said: “This will present a big challenge for remaining cabinet members as their portfolios increase, but with ever decreasing budgets we must cut our cloth accordingly.

“I am giving a great deal of consideration to what the six new portfolios should look like and will announce these shortly after the December full council if I am elected as council leader.”

Labour is currently running York Council as a minority administration which means if opposition councillors were to vote together on Thursday they could stop Coun Williams becoming council leader.