Cost of your councillors revealed

Calderdale Council on its website www.calderdale.gov.uk publishes figures annually, monthly updates and cost projections for councillors’ allowances and expenses.

The council is made up of 51 elected councillors or members, three for each of the 17 wards who decide its aims, objectives and policies.

They are elected to represent a particular area or ward in Calderdale.

Each ward has three councillors who serve for four years with elections take place in each ward three years out of every four, when one council seat in each ward is open for election.

Councillors are not paid a salary, but receive an allowance for time spent on official council business.

All councillors can receive a basic allowance, which was £10,353 in 2017-18, and there are allowances for special responsibilities.

Travel and subsistence claims, dependent carer allowance and the Mayoral allowance also make up the total.

In addition to councillors’ allowances six co-opted members also receive some allowances from the public purse for the work they do on its behalf.

Councillors can hand back any part of their allowance if they wish.

Special responsibilities range from those of council and party leaders and Cabinet portfolios to some committee chairmanships and memberships.

The largest sum was paid to leader of the council, and Labour group leader, Councillor Tim Swift (Town) who was paid £31,821.65 in 2017-18, which includes council leader’s allowance of £20,704, while council and Labour group deputy leader Councillor Barry Collins (Illingworth and Mixenden) was paid £20,705, which includes deputy council leader’s allowance of £10,352.

Conservative group leader Councillor Scott Benton (Brighouse) was paid £18,703.21 which includes opposition leader’s allowance of £8,281.36 and his deputy Councillor Stephen Baines (Northowram and Shelf) was paid £14,597.09, which includes a special responsibility allowance of £4,140.64.

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor James Baker (Warley) was paid £14,493.64 which includes Liberal Democrat group leadership allowance of £4,140.64 and his deputy Councillor Ashley Evans (Warley) was paid £17,136.06, which includes a special responsibility allowance of £6,783.06.

Mayor of Calderdale 2017-18, Ferman Ali (Town), was paid £19,954.44, which included the Mayoral allowance of £9,601.44. Deputy Mayor Coun Jane Scullion (Luddenden Foot) was paid £23,911.27, which includes Cabinet and Deputy Mayoral allowances of £10,852.59 and £2,705.68 respectively.

Cabinet membership allowances of £8,281.36 also made up those paid to Councillor Bob Metcalfe (Labour, Town, £18,634.36), Councillor Susan Press (Labour, Todmorden, £18,634.36), Councillor Faisal Shoukat (Labour, Park, £18,634.36), Councillor Dan Sutherland (Labour, Illingworth and Mixenden, £18,634.36) and Councillor Megan Swift (Labour, Town, £18,634.36).

The lowest amounts paid to councillors were £8,426.19 paid to Councillor Sophie Whittaker (Conservative, Rastrick) and Councillor Carol Machell (Labour, Todmorden), who were both paid £8,426.19.

The highest payment to a co-opted member for duties carried out on the council’s behalf was to Vicar of Halifax Canon Hilary Barber, who received allowances totalling £1,928.06.

The full list of amounts paid to councillors and co-opted members in 2017-18 is as follows.

Ferman Ali (Labour, Park) £19,954.44; Pat Allen (Liberal Democrat, Elland) £14,493.64; Stephen Baines (Conservative, Northowram and Shelf) £14,597.09; James Baker (Liberal Democrat, Warley) £14,493.64; Hilary Barber (co-opted) £1,928.06; Christine Beale (Conservative, Rastrick) £10,353; Paul Bellinger (Liberal Democrat, Greetland and Stainland) £10,467.30; Scott Benton (Conservative, Brighouse) £18,703.21; Howard Blagbrough (Conservative, Brighouse) £13,065.70; Norma Brundell (employee) £18.75.

Peter Caffrey (Conservative, Northowram and Shelf) £10,353; Geraldine Carter (Conservative, Ryburn) £16,798.51; Anne Collins (Labour, Illingworth and Mixenden) £10,353; Barry Collins (Labour, Illingworth and Mixenden) £20,705; John Dunford (co-opted) £375.36; Ashley Evans (Liberal Democrat, Warley) £17,136.06; Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour, Calder) £10,353; John Ford (Conservative, Elland) £10,353; Dot Foster (Labour, Sowerby Bridge) £10,360.80; Michelle Foster (Labour, Warley) £10,353; Angie Gallagher (Labour, Elland) £10,353; David Gott (co-opted), £375.36; Marilyn Greenwood (Liberal Democrat, Greetland and Stainland) £10,694.25.

John Hardy (Conservative, Skircoat) £12,423; Shelagh Hirst (co-opted) £375.36; Robert Holden (independent, Ryburn) £10,353; Penelope Huckle (co-opted) £375.36; Andrew Johnson (co-opted), £375.36; David Kirton (Conservative, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) £16,563.64; Lisa Lambert (Labour, Illingworth and Mixenden) £14,493.64; Jenny Lynn (Labour, Park) £10,353.

Carol Machell (Labour, Todmorden) £8,426.19; Nicola May (Conservative, Luddenden Foot) £10,353; Bob Metcalfe (Labour, Town) £18,634.36; Ali Miles (Labour, Calder) £10,353; Mike Payne (Independent Conservative, Sowerby Bridge) £15,529; Chris Pearson (Conservative, Greetland and Stainland) £10,353; Colin Peel (Conservative, Brighouse) £10,353; Chris Pillai (Conservative, Rastrick) £10,577.20; Susan Press (Labour, Todmorden) £18,634.36; Colin Raistrick (Independent, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) £11,708.88; Helen Rivron (Labour, Ovenden) £10,353; George Robinson (Conservative, Brighouse) £10,209.21.

Jane Scullion (Labour, Luddenden Foot) £23,911.27; Faisal Shoukat (Labour, Park) £18,634.36; Bryan Smith (Labour, Ovenden) £10,353; Jill Smith-Moorhouse (Conservative, Luddenden Foot) £10,510.50; Dan Sutherland (Labour, Illingworth and Mixenden) £18,634.36; Steve Sweeney (Labour, Todmorden) £14,522.36; Megan Swift (Labour, Town) £18,634.36; Tim Swift (Labour, Town) £31,821.65.

Andrew Tagg (Conservative, Skircoat) £15,529; Roger Taylor (Conservative, Northowram and Shelf) £10,427.35; Marcus Thompson (Conservative, Skircoat) £10,353; Robert Thornber (Conservative, Ryburn) £10,353; Sophie Whittaker (Conservative, Rastrick) £8,426.19; Adam Wilkinson (Labour, Sowerby Bridge) £10,353; Dave Young (Labour, Calder) £10,353.