COUNCILLORS from all parties in Wokingham have turned down the opportunity to give themselves a ‘pay’ rise.
Each elected member in the borough council is entitled to annual allowances to cover their expenses, at a rate set by an independent body.
At a meeting held on Thursday, January 19, the Independent Remuneration Panel presented its recommendations, which included an increase of 4%, backdated to April 2022, and increases to some executive positions including the deputy leader.
The leader of the council, Cllr Clive Jones, said he welcomed the panel’s work and their review was thorough, but he couldn’t support any rises given the financial situation the local authority found itself in.
“We have agreed to add an extra £250k to our budget for next year in order to support these struggling households. This money will be used to support our own benefit schemes and some of it will be given to our charitable partners when they are better placed to provide that help,” he said.
This view was echoed by his counterpart, Conservative group leader Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, who said: “The timing is simply wrong, to vote ourselves more money at a point where people are struggling with energy costs and the ruling group is systematically hammering business and residents by decreasing services and increasing parking charges is simply inappropriate and tone deaf.”
From the Labour group, Cllr Andy Croy said they could not support the rises.
“Until the lot of our residents improves and the Borough moves out of its state of being in a permanent financial straight jacket, we will not be voting for more cash for councillors and nor will we be accepting more cash,” he said.
The parts of the panel’s report that did not relate to increases in allowances for councillors were approved, while any rises were rejected in a unanimous vote.
