South Cambridgeshire Councillors’ allowances will not rise
The allowance paid to members of South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) will remain the same after proposals for a cut of £500 to fund a rise for those on committees was scrapped.
An independent remuneration panel charged with reviewing allowances suggested that the overall bill remain the same, but that special allowances for councillors on planning, licensing and scrutiny committees should be funded by a cut of £500 in the basic allowance – which is £4,267.
SCDC leader Ray Manning supported the plans that did not increase the overall cost of allowances due to pressures on budgets, but said that the special responsibility payments for committee members did not align with the extra commitments required by the roles.
The plans would have seen an extra £1,500 a year for the 11 members of the SCDC planning committee and an additional £480 a year to the 14 councillors on the licensing committee and the same to the 11 on the scrutiny committee.
Councillors approved four of the six recommendations and future changes that the allowance will increase at the same rate of staff pay.
Other recommendations included changes to mileage rates and other sub si stance payments to be the same as for staff.
SCDC councillor allowances have been frozen for four years and staff pay for three years.
Cllr Manning said: “Councillors had already volunteered to freeze their allowances for the last four years and I fully support the panels’ proposal this year that suggested the overall bill for allowances did not increase. It is clear roles on some committees, such as planning, mean councillors face increased workloads but if any changes in the way the overall sum available for allowances is divided some further work would be needed.
“I would like to thank the panel for the work they have carried out and the council’s views will now be fed back to them.”
For all the latest news see Thursday’s (March 14) Echo.
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Weather for Haverhill
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
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