Calderdale Councillors set for a pay rise in 2020

Calderdale Council’s Standards Committee agreed basic and special responsibility allowances should be increased in line with the annual percentage salary increase for local government staff in the council year 2020-21.

The same applies to allowances which are given to co-opted members on council committees and boards, for example non-council representatives on the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Board.

Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said last year an increase in allowance was not paid but thought this year the situation was different.

“My feeling this year is we should support returning to the formula previously decided by the committee and in line with the percentage increase that the staff have, which is estimated to be around two per cent.

Councillors agreed in 2018 to link their own remuneration should be linked to staff’s increase – before that they had not received and increase for some years, and did not receive one in 2019-20.

Chairing the committee, lay member the Rev Hilary Barber said he believed the rise was deserved, offering reasonable remuneration to members of the public who would put themselves forward to take on the role in their communities.

“I would wholeheartedly say all the councillors I work with deserve every pound they are given.

“I would be hugely supportive after a number of years where they have been given no increase – that can’t go on forever.

“If we are going to attract any members of the public to put themselves foward for public offices, and all the demands that makes 24-7, it is about time the allowance reflected that,” said Rev Barber.

Coun Scullion said she was very conscious it was public money but leaving any increase for too could otherwise end up leading to a big catch-up increase later.

“I think to base it on the staff pay award and take a formula year on year is the best solution,” she said.

The current basic allowance for a councillor is £879.92 per month, so a two per cent increase would raise the basic level by around £17.50 a month.

Special responsibility allowances vary in amount, depending on what they are, but include the Leader of the Council, and opposition group leaders, as well as committee chairs, for example.