By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Councillors in Cheltenham have voted to give themselves a pay rise of just under £200 next year.
Cheltenham Borough Council approved yesterday (December 16) the three per cent rise to be applied to the member’s basic and special responsibility allowances from April 1 next year.
All councillors at the Municipal Offices are currently entitled to a basic allowance of £6,645 – this will now rise to £6,844.35.
This was the recommendation put forward by the Independent Remuneration Panel which will be equivalent to the £1,290 flat rate increase for grade I local government staff.
The Borough Council’s chair of the cabinet housing committee will be awarded a special responsibility allowance of £4,463 to be backdated to September 1, 2024. And their deputy will be awarded an allowance of £1,517 also to be backdated to September.
These specific allowances will be reviewed by the panel again in October next year.
Panel chairman Graham Russell said: “We are recommending first of all that member’s allowances should continue to be indexed against the pay award to staff.
“We see no reason to depart from that and the evidence we have from councillors is that is the right and proper course for indexing member’s allowances.”
He said the panel also considered creating a special responsibility allowance for the cabinet housing committee.
“We came firmly to the conclusion, based on the evidence, the very helpful role description that the council has provided, that there was indeed a significant responsibility falling on the members who are going to lead that process.”
The council voted unanimously to approve the increase without any debate among councillors.
The only comments made were by Council Leader Rowena Hay (LD, Oakley) who thanked Mr Russell for the “thankless” task the panel carries out.