What your councillors were paid in the last council year

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

Halifax Retailers Praised For Their Support in Helping to Prevent Knife CrimeThe 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.

Hidden bill of rural waste and farm theftsEach 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, and vary in amount. The largest sum was paid to leader of Calderdale Council, and leader of the Labour group, Councillor Tim Swift (Town) who was paid £31,821.65 in 2017-18, a total which includes the leader of the council’s allowance of £20,704.

Conservative group leader Councillor Scott Benton (Brighouse) was paid £18,703.21 which includes opposition leader’s allowance of £8,281.36.

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor James Baker (Warley) was paid £14,493.64 which includes Liberal Democrat group leadership allowance of £4,140.64.

Mayor of Calderdale 2017-18, Ferman Ali (Park), was paid £19,954.44, which included the Mayoral allowance of £9,601.44.