Freeze on Cannock Chase councillors' allowances hailed

Councillor George Adamson said he does not agree with plans to increase councillors' allowances because of the current economic climate.

A report going before a meeting of the council has said allowances should remain unchanged for the next financial year but rise by 0.2 per cent in April next year.

Councillor Adamson said: "The independent panel recorded that there is to be no increase in allowances this year and I agree with this because of the way the economic climate is right now.

"My view is that they are not going up because times are very hard at the minute with people struggling to find jobs and being made redundant and we are also having to face cuts in local government.

"However, I do not think there should be an increase in allowances next year because money is tight. It isn't the right thing to do.

"In Cannock we have not had to cut services but we have insisted on freezing allowances because that sets an example."

Mr Adamson currently receives £18,150 while the deputy leader gets £9,260 and councillors with cabinet responsibility receive £8,025.

The report states that between 2012 and 2013 the council spent £379,219.25 on councillors' allowances with about £9,249.27 spent on each member.

Elsewhere, annual allowances for the leader of Stafford Borough Council are rising by £2 to £8,800 – but an opposition party leader's payments will be slashed by 65 per cent.

Independent group leader Councillor Barry Stamp, will be cut from £4,399.25 to £2,900.