Cambridgeshire: Councillor Pay Freeze
27 March 2012, 11:44 | Updated: 27 March 2012, 11:58
Cambridgeshire County Councillors have voted to accept a pay freeze.
A report by an independent panel recommended councillor allowances remain at their current levels, and at a full council meeting today (Tuesday) councillors have voted to accept the report's recommendations.
The independent panel was set up to review councillor allowances after controversial plans to increase them by 25% were scrapped.
Councillors have voted to accept the following recommendations:
- Basic members allowance will remain at the current level of £7,610
- The current two tier structure of allowances for cabinet portfolio holders will be replaced by a single tier of £11,697. (This is the average of the current two tiers)
- The allowances payable to the major opposition spokesmen should be consolidated into five spokesmen and that each should receive an allowance of £6,380.
- A 'one special responsibility allowance' rule be introduced.
- The allowance paid for carers is amended so that it covers the actual costs associated with care.
- Travel expenses can be claimed for attendance at parish council meetings.
- All allowances be indexed to the annual percentage cost of living award for local government staff.
More follows later.