Published: Tuesday 12th January 2021 | 2.03pm
Councillors at Cannock Chase Council will be considering freezing their basic allowances for the next 12 months when they meet at the next full Council meeting on 20 January.
This follows a report from the Councils’ Independent Remuneration Panel and its latest review of the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme, which will be discussed at the meeting. Its main recommendation is that the Basic, Special Responsibility and Civic Allowances should be frozen at the 2020/21 rates for 2021/22.
It is also recommending that no change be made be made to the rates payable under the Communications, Carers’, Travel and Subsistence Allowances; and that this revised Scheme be in place for one year (1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022) with a further review to be undertaken later in 2021.
If councillors agree to the panel’s recommendations it will see a saving of £7,370 in 2021/22. Presently, the Members’ Allowances Budget is set at £368,280, which would be the same amount for 2021/22.
The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 requires all councils to have a Members’ Allowances Scheme in place and to keep it reviewed on a regular basis.
The Members’ Allowances Scheme at Cannock Chase Council was last reviewed in early 2018, with the updated scheme being approved by full Council in May 2018. The current scheme covers the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2021.
Leader of the Council, Councillor George Adamson, said: “In the current climate where so many residents are facing financial challenges, and we know that the majority of the Council’s officers will be facing a pay freeze in the next 12 months, I will be calling on my fellow councillors to support this recommendation when we discuss it next week. I believe it is the right thing to do right now.”
The Council meeting on 20 January starts at 6pm and can be viewed online. The full papers and a link to YouTube will be made available on the Council’s website under `Council` then `Meetings`.