Big rise for Dudley councillor allowances

Allowances for councillors in Dudley are set to rise 20 per cent under plans which will cost the cash-strapped authority more than £160,000.

An independent panel is recommending the "significant" increase despite acknowledging "public finances are tight".

If the rise is approved, councillors will share almost £930,000 this financial year – up from £760,000.

Basic allowances paid to all councillors will jump from less than £8,000 to £9,300 each.

Special responsibility allowances paid to group leaders, committee chairmen, cabinet members and the council's deputy leader and leader will rise almost a third, up £51,660 to a total of £223,760 shared between 30 members.

Council leader David Caunt will receive up to £23,250 on top of his basic allowance, taking his total council earnings past £30,000.

The three-man panel – chairman Michael Beards-more, Rev Mike Mason and Dudley Chamber of Commerce president Mike Dell – say allowances have not increased in line with inflation since 2006-07 and claim that is reflected in the recommended changes.

They also point to more lucrative remuneration packages in surrounding boroughs.

A report outlining the proposals states: "We believe the proposed increases are entirely justifiable."

The report will go before the council's standards committee on April 30. The committee will then make a recommendation to the cabinet and full council as to whether to adopt the plans.

Councillor Caunt added that the proposals could be rejected by members but the ruling Conservative group would be given a free vote.

Leader of the Labour group Councillor David Sparks is happy to go along with the committee's recommendations.

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Dave Tyler added: "The timing is unfortunate, but there's never really a good time to tell people we are getting a pay rise."