Cheshire East Councillors vote for pay increase

Cheshire East councillors have voted to increase their allowances.

Currently the councillors receive a basic allowance of £12,351, which will increase by £500 annually, backdated to 2022/3.

The special responsibility allowance (SRA) for committee chairs – which for most is £7,650 – will rise by 4.04 per cent.

The Conservatives voted against the increase, with Knutsford councillor Stewart Gardiner arguing now was not the time. Conservative group leader Janet Clowes said the increase proposed was based on an historic independent review from 2021 which hadn’t been mentioned in this year’s public budget consultation.

“To then bring forward a historic review that they [the public] knew nothing about to raise allowances and contrary to consultation is perverse, misleading and reputationally damaging to this council and councillors alike,” she said.

Labour’s Anthony Critchley (Crewe) said he would be voting against the rise and told the meeting: “This is a bigger percentage increase than some council workers are currently being offered, so it doesn’t sit well with me. We’ve heard already today that the austerity budget voted for by members in February now needs to be implemented, so I really struggle to understand on what basis could you justify hitting every other aspect of the council budget but grow councillors allowances.”

Several Labour and Independent councillors argued some members were in financial need and democracy was at stake.

Labour’s Rob Vernon (Macclesfield) said: “If you want to attract more working class young people to this council they’ve got to be able to afford to do it. The time for a pay rise for the whole country is now.” He said: “If you can afford to reject a pay rise, do so on your own accord, but don’t force me to do that because I can’t afford to.”

Sandbach councillor Laura Crane (Lab)  said:  “I’ve got four kids, I have to seriously consider my position as a councillor if the cost of living crisis continues to rise.”

She added: “Representation should not be reserved for those who don’t need to worry about their bills. It is not acceptable to enforce a difficult life on others purely because you don’t need to worry about it.”

Macclesfield councillor David Edwardes (Ind) said: “I don’t have the good fortune of a super job or a large pension or family wealth. I’m just an average Joe Public who, like many of our residents, is struggling along to make ends meet. “

Wilmslow councillor Mark Goldsmith (Ind) said politicians received a wage or allowance to ensure politics wasn’t dominated by wealthy people. “No-one becomes a councillor for the pay but the pay does allow many people to be a councillor,” said Cllr Goldsmith.

He added that over winter: “I saw some councillors were video conferencing from home while wearing thick coats and woolly hats. Clearly they were struggling financially to keep their house warm. Do they need a pay rise? Yes, I think they do. Many other councillors have mortgages to pay and young children to support.”

He urged councillors: “Please do not deprive those who need it by voting against this proposal because not only will you make other councillors suffer, but our democracy will also suffer too.”

A named vote was called and the increase was approved with 37 councillors voting in favour, 30 against and six abstained.