Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Councillors' Pay Bill Soars
Further to this site's recent articles on Haringey Councillors' pay, the Evening Standard yesterday published a story about rises in councillors' pay across London. Haringey is noted as one of the boroughs with particularly steep increases. The story:
Councillors' Pay Bill Soars by £1.4million
Ross Lydall and Anthony Kimber, Evening Standard, 31.12.07
Councillors in London awarded themselves about £1.4 million in pay rises in the past financial year.
The total spent on allowances and expenses last year is estimated at £27,451,483, according to research commissioned by the Evening Standard.
This is a rise of 5.5 per cent on the previous year - more than double the rate of inflation.
The biggest increases in spending on councillors were seen in some of London's most deprived boroughs, including Lewisham (up £204,594), Haringey (up £183,427) and Newham (up £128,677). Conservative-controlled Enfield agreed the biggest rise: up £277,785 - 28 per cent - to £811,156.
Camden, run by a Liberal Democrat and Tory coalition, cut its bill by more than £200,000.
Five of the capital's 33 local authorities - Croydon, Kensington & Chelsea, Newham, Southwark and Wandsworth - spent more than £1 million a year on elected members.
Twenty-three of the 32 boroughs that pay allowances - only the City of London Corporation does not - awarded each member a basic amount in excess of £9,000.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Ever-higher expenses suggest that local authorities are more concerned about feathering their own nests."
So my earlier question remains. Do we get value for money?
Councillors' Pay Bill Soars by £1.4million
Ross Lydall and Anthony Kimber, Evening Standard, 31.12.07
Councillors in London awarded themselves about £1.4 million in pay rises in the past financial year.
The total spent on allowances and expenses last year is estimated at £27,451,483, according to research commissioned by the Evening Standard.
This is a rise of 5.5 per cent on the previous year - more than double the rate of inflation.
The biggest increases in spending on councillors were seen in some of London's most deprived boroughs, including Lewisham (up £204,594), Haringey (up £183,427) and Newham (up £128,677). Conservative-controlled Enfield agreed the biggest rise: up £277,785 - 28 per cent - to £811,156.
Camden, run by a Liberal Democrat and Tory coalition, cut its bill by more than £200,000.
Five of the capital's 33 local authorities - Croydon, Kensington & Chelsea, Newham, Southwark and Wandsworth - spent more than £1 million a year on elected members.
Twenty-three of the 32 boroughs that pay allowances - only the City of London Corporation does not - awarded each member a basic amount in excess of £9,000.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Ever-higher expenses suggest that local authorities are more concerned about feathering their own nests."
So my earlier question remains. Do we get value for money?
Tags for Forum Posts: councillors' pay, democracy
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Hugh, Happy New Year!
I didn't see the Evening Standard yesterday. But after reading your comment I looked at the online version. I've an immediate problem with the "research". Because it's not accurate. You already know this because you've put some of the Haringey facts on this website.
So people who've read your thread know that the basic allowance figures set out for the London Boroughs are unlikely to tell the full story - because there are often Special Responsibility Allowances. In addition, some councillors get even more from outside bodies.
As a Haringey councillor, I'm completely in favour of everyone being able to see exactly how much public money we are paid - allowances and expenses. The full details should be easily available online - including every penny that councillors get from other public bodies to which they are appointed by virtue of being a councillor. Coyness about disclosing these details feeds into people's growing cynicism about politicians. Transparency is one way we help restore confidence in local democracy.
So let's have a comprehensive and accurate public list of what all councillors actually get.
There are some interesting linked questions. What do people expect from us? Should councillors be paid only a nominal amount? If at all? If it's to be a voluntary job - like a school governor - are we happy to get even more retired people or those with private incomes? If it's paid, do we expect people who get the equivalent of a fulltime salary to do the job fulltime? What about people with children - expecially young families?
Hopefully this should go with a proper grown-up public debate about what the job entails.
Alan
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Completely agree with what you say Alan. I don't mean to grab tattty headlines and misrepresent, but, as you say, greater transparency is called for.
For my part, I'd be happy to pay a good salary and expect good performance in return. Perhaps there's a case for a mix of "professional" and "lay" councillors to keep the mix right. And somewhere, it'd be nice to have some sort of public performance contract - what we should expect from our councillors.
I don't have a particular beef on this subject. It's just shrouded in mystery and I feel that we all have a right to know more. Certain councillors with particular attitudes and records of questionable honesty do raise the question.
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