Small pay rise for city councillors gets go-ahead

BIRMINGHAM councillors are to receive a pay rise of £195 while council chief whips will receive an allowance for the first time.

The new basic allowances were proposed by an independent remuneration panel which also recommended the amount received by councillors with additional duties, known – special responsibility allowances (SRA).

Since 2019 the panel has used the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

(ASHE) to guide how much councillors are paid in allowances using information about pay for UK employees in all sectors.

The panel has now recommended council leader Ian Ward’s special responsibility allowance remain at £56,579. This is despite a decrease in the ASHE rate which indicates it should be lowered to £55,877.

The rate used to determine councillors’ basic allowances has also decreased. However, previous allowances paid to city councillors had fallen behind the ASHE rate, and therefore the increase from £18,681 to £18,876 will bring their allowances into line with it.

For the first time, party chief whips will receive an SRA of £2,829. The role of the chief whip is to ensure councillors vote in line with the party.

However, the panel noted the role has evolved over the past four years and is due to expand further.

In its report, the panel said: “The panel believes this is a fair and equitable approach to setting the BA and SRAs in 2022 which incorporates the City Council’s commitment to the catchup element, whilst acknowledging the unprecedented economic and social circumstances faced by residents, communities and the city council.”

The Council Business Management Committee backed the decision this week.