Under the draft proposals, the council leader would qualify for an additional special responsibility allowance of £24,000. The deputy leader would get a further £15,000 and the Shropshire Council’s eight executive members would be eligible for an extra £12,000 each.
Four chairs of service committees and the chair of the overview and scrutiny committee would also each be in line for £12,000 extra, while three chairs of area regulatory committees and the single chairman of a strategic planning committee would each qualify for an additional £9,000.
The opposition group leader would qualify for £6,000 extra, while three chairs of the area licensing committees and the chairs of the audit, pensions and independent standards committees could each get an extra £3,000.
Six t‘champions’ – members with commitments to individual subjects – would be in line for an additional £1,500. The vice-chairs of the pensions and independent standards committees would also get a further £1,500.
‘We accept that the reduction in principal councillors from the present 224 to the expected 74 will result in members having an expanded role,’ states Ciaran Martin, chairman of the independent remuneration panel, in a report to the county council.
‘We also appreciate that members will have a considerable amount of work which they will need to undertake locally within their divisions, or at a sub-county level.
“While some have argued that there should no longer be a need to require any element of the work to be undertaken voluntarily, most members accept the Government’s advice that all schemes should maintain a public sector discount.
‘We have listened to the case put for a basic allowance which reflects this guidance, but it is also appropriate to attract people of the appropriate calibre and is also sufficient to offset the loss of income experienced by those in paid employment who are elected to public offices,’ he adds.
A council spokesman added: “Every council has to give councillors allowances by law, and the panel has undertaken a comprehensive study of the allowances scheme before making its recommendations.”
