Councillors booed as they accept big pay rise
ROCHDALE’S councillors were booed and heckled as they voted to accept a 34 per cent pay rise.
The borough’s 60 councillors overwhelmingly accepted an independent panel’s recommendation to increase their basic allowances by more than a third.
Only the two Liberal Democrat councillors rejected the proposal.
Trade union and UKIP members protested against the move outside the town hall, before Wednesday night’s meeting.
It comes as the authority is being forced to slash £38m from its budget over the next two financial years due to government funding cuts, meaning redundancies, wage freezes and service cuts.
Rochdale councillors’ basic annual entitlement, which will rise to £10,451, was the second lowest in Greater Manchester, having been frozen since 2008.
After the increase it will still be below the region’s average.
But the decision was still met with boos and shouts of ‘disgraceful’ coming from the public gallery.
Council leader Richard Farnell said: “It’s an extremely difficult decision for members, and I do appreciate concerns expressed by members of the public - particularly in view of the financial situation the authority has.
“But it’s not for us to decide what members’ allowances should be. It’s pointless having a dog and not letting it bark.
“We have to accept the recommendation otherwise we’re not allowing the panel to do its job.”
“The panel took a dispassionate view of allowances and therefore we have a duty to accept the recommendations.”
Ashley Dearnley, leader of the Conservative group, said: “I think it’s right councillors should get a similar amount to councillors in other neighbouring areas, but we must accept as part of that bargaining that we don’t need as many councillors as we have now.
“Just as council workers are expected to do more, we must lead by example.”
But Coun Andy Kelly, leader of the Lib Dems, blasted Labour and Tory members.
He said: “The reality is there has been a huge outcry in Rochdale over the proposals and quite justifiably in my view.
“Over the past years the council has had to take some tough financial decisions, no doubt, and they have affected the most vulnerable people.
“We must be seen to put residents first in tough times and this proposal flies in the face of that.”