City councillors support move for 4.2% pay rise
BIRMINGHAM city councillors are to receive a pay rise of up to £3,000 after allowances “fell behind” in the past few years.
Council leader Ian Ward and other councillors this week recommended a pay rise of 4.2 per cent for the coming year.
It means all councillors’ basic allowances will increase to £18,681, while the leader of the council’s pay would go beyond £75,000.
It follows similar increases in the previous two years, with a 4.4 per cent rise last year preceded by a 4 per cent rise the year before.
Speaking at the Business Management Committee, members of the independent remuneration panel said that councillors’ allowances had ‘fallen behind’ for several years prior to 2018, with recent rises aimed at addressing this.
They said the number of people represented by each councillor should be taken into account when deciding upon pay and allowances, with each ward member representing an average of 11,300 people compared to the next largest, Leeds, at 8,011.
Deputy Leader of the council Cllr Brigid Jones (Labour) said the money did not represent a salary, and that councillors were not entitled to pension provision from the cash.
And Cllr Carl Rice (Labour) added
that, if any councillor was uncomfortable with the pay rise being suggested, then they were welcome to refuse it and donate the difference to charity.
“I know that there will be some kick back from this because of the
pay freeze, apart from NHS workers, in the public services, so it’s a delicate, clinical issue,” he said.
“But I think we’ve got this independent panel, and we have to accept the recommendations of them. Otherwise it just calls into question their independence and their validity.
“And if people want to turn it down then they can always donate to charity or do whatever they will in order to make their opinions felt.”
The recommendation will go to full council for approval.