The leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council has urged fellow councillors to snub an agreed allowance rise.
The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, set up by the Welsh Government, is proposing an average 1% increase in all Welsh councillors’ allowances in 2014/15.
Council leader Harry Andrews has written to all 73 councillors urging them not to take the rise. Plaid Cymru councillors have already declared they will not accept the rise.
Cllr Andrews said: “At a time of increasing austerity for our residents, with many workers – including our own workforce – enduring pay freezes and a cost of living crisis, I believe it would be inappropriate for members of our authority to accept the pay rise proposed.
“I am therefore calling on every Caerphilly County Borough Councillor to join me in forgoing the proposed pay rise. This is, of course, a matter for every individual member to decide for themselves.
“In the coming weeks, every one of us will be involved in the difficult process of agreeing where our Council must make savings for the next year. It is in this context that we must consider whether accepting a pay award is appropriate at this time.”
The opposition Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly Council has backed the move to reject the increase. During the Plaid-led administration between 2008 and 2012, Plaid councillors refused to accept recommendations proposed by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
Cllr Colin Mann, who leads the Party of Wales group, has also urged top officers who were given substantial rises last year to also make a gesture.
He said: “The Plaid group is prepared to support the rejection of the 1% suggested increase in councillors’ allowances, in recognition of the poor economic situation affecting so many of our constituents. In fact, we had discussed this matter in a recent group meeting.
“At the same time I believe that a very meaningful gesture could also be made by those very fortunate senior members of Caerphilly County Borough Council staff who recently received substantial pay increases.
“It would be a huge morale boost to the rank and file members of the staff, especially those who could sadly be facing redundancy as a result of proposed efficiency savings, to know that others are responding to the serious situation that we all face.”
Harry Andrews says,
" “At a time of increasing austerity for our residents, with many workers – including our own workforce – enduring pay freezes and a cost of living crisis, I believe it would be inappropriate for members of our authority to accept the pay rise proposed."
This is true and I agree wholeheartedly. I also believe that this stricture should apply to officers of the council too. The gesture of foregoing a pay increase in times of financial difficulty loses its impact if the voters and low paid council workers see the fat cats mouths being stuffed with our money.
It's an interesting conundrum. One one had the councillors are do not want to be see receiving a pay freeze when other are being hard pressed but at the same time, councillors aren't exactly paid big bucks either and can be hard pressed themselves so a small 1% increase could be hugely beneficial.
Well well at long last Councillor Harry Andrews has realised that staff have not had a pay rise for some years, however he had no problem in giving the better of senior management officers big pay rises. What a hypocrite call himself a socialist.