Shropshire Council tax hike approved as leader rejects pay rise

Fifty councillors voted in favour of the 5.99 per cent hike this morning, while four voted against and 11 abstained.

The rise - which follows last year's 3.99 per cent increase - is an attempt to help the authority cope with pressure on its adult social care and children's social services budget.

But a decision on plans for a £5,000 rise in the allowance for the leader of Shropshire Council Peter Nutting was deferred after Councillor Nutting said he did not want the extra money.

In a heated debate at Shirehall, Councillor Nutting led the calls for an Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) to reconsider its proposals.

Adopting the panel's recommendations would have seen the leader's allowance increase by £5,757 to £40,299.

His allowance is already three times more than the basic councillor allowance of £11,514 - which the report said should stay the same.

The report and its recommendations came after the panel spoke to the leader and other councillors last year.

But Councillor Nutting said the report did not reflect his comments to the panel.

He told the two IRP members present at the meeting: "I do not agree with the report. Some things I said to the panel do not appear to have been taken on board at all.

"I did not ask for an increase in the leader's allowance. I think that money should go to increasing the basic allowance all councillors get."

Councillor Nutting put forward a motion to send the report back to the IRP for further consideration.

He also suggested councillors' pay should be set automatically in line with a rise or fall in inflation or wages, so that the decision is taken out of the council's hands.

Other councillors however criticised Councillor Nutting's alternative motion, saying that to wholly dismiss the recommendations in such a way was insulting to the panel and "selfish".

Labour group leader Alan Mosley said: "I believe this is a selfish motion. I think it is embarrassing in front of the panel, who are independent."

Liberal Democrat group leader Roger Evans said: "I think they are mistaken in one or two places. I don't agree with any increase in the total remuneration package.

"But this is the first time I have known it to be rejected, this is not the way we treat an independent panel – we treat them with respect. This council's credibility has never been as low as it is at present."

Others argued the allowances should be raised in order to make becoming a councillor feasible for younger people who would not be able to live off the current rate.

Conservative councillor David Turner, who had criticised the report and urged his colleagues to vote it down, said: "I have significant concerns about the increases to the leader and the two opposition group leaders, when later in the meeting we will be voting on a six per cent council tax increase that will hurt a lot of vulnerable people."

The panel representatives said: "We were never going to please everybody. I do accept that some of the methodology was not as well explained in the report as it could have been, and that has hindered some people in making their decision."

They added they would be happy to look at the report again and give more councillors the opportunity to add their input.

Councillor Nutting's motion was passed by 39 votes to 20, with six abstentions.