Allowances increase for Shropshire councillors confirmed

Councillors voted through a basic allowance increase from £11,514 to £12,000, despite calls from the Labour group to delay the changes for a year because of the pandemic.

Leader Lezley Picton, deputy Steve Charmley and some committee chairmen will receive larger rises.

Councillor Picton’s additional leader’s allowance ‘multiplier’ will increase from two to 2.25, which, when added to the basic allowance, takes her total pay from £34,542 to £39,000.

Deputy leader Steve Charmley will see his multiplier increase from 1.25 to 1.5, representing a rise in total pay from £25,907 to £30,000.

But not all roles will see an increase – with the extra allowance for the council chairman Vince Hunt and deputy cabinet members to be cut.

The amount councillors can claim to cover the cost of paying for care of a dependant child or adult while carrying out council business will also be increased, to attract “younger and more diverse” councillors.

Councillor Kevin Pardy, on behalf of the Labour group, tabled an amendment proposing the changes not be implemented until next year.

He said: “In a time of financial turmoil for the country, job losses, business losses, pay cuts, minimal pay and furlough how can we accept a five per cent allowance increase? I don’t believe we can, morally we cannot.

"I thank those who have arrived at the recommendations before us but I ask that any increase in allowances are deferred and discussed again in 12 months time when hopefully people are getting back on their feet financially.” But the amendment failed to receive the required support.

Meanwhile, the A49 from Craven Arms to Bromfield will be closed to allow Network Rail to carry out work at Onibury. A temporary traffic order was put in place for between 10pm and 5am, with work expected to be carried out from July 18.