Melton councillors vote to increase annual allowances

Annual payments to members will increase by 4.04 per cent, increasing them from £5,122.99 by £207, with the raise backdated to April last year.

Some councillors told a full council meeting they were uneasy with the increase at a time when many people were struggling with the cost of living crisis and soaring energy bills and one labelled the backdated hike as like a ‘sick April Fools’ joke’.

A few of the members indicated they would be donating some of their allowances to local causes and national charities.

But Councillor Rebecca Smith, the youngest of the borough’s 28 members, told the meeting: “I understand that this is not going to be a very popular thing for the public to see.

"However I’m a strong advocate of anyone being able to stand as a councillor from any background and the members’ allowance that we get is already quite low.

"It’s not enough for someone to be a councillor as a full time job.

"An increase of 4.04 per cent might be that little push to get other people from other backgrounds into the role and might encourage some fresh faces.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Councillor Jacob Wilkinson, who said: “It’s imperative that elected bodies are representative of its community and as a member who is in their late 30s who works full time I give a very different perspective to this council.

"It’s important that people of mine and Councillor Smith’s generation, the millennials, are heard on this council.

"Councils have traditionally been dominated by the retired and people who are financially independent and we need to make sure that members are given an allowance which is reflective of the time spent being a councillor.

"It has an impact on work and private lives and we need to encourage more people to come forward to become councillors.”

Councillor Christopher Evans said: “If we want democracy we have to pay for it I’m afraid. We need to encourage young people in particular to get involved. The allowances are way below minimum wage if you look at the hours we have to put in.”

But Councillor Peter Faulkner, who said he would donate his backdated rise to the local foodbank, Melton Storehouse, told the meeting: “I just can’t believe after we’ve just increased rents for our tenants and raised Council Tax we are now looking to increase our own remuneration.

"And not only are we voting to increase our remuneration, it’s going to be backdated to April last year.

“That’s got to be some kind of sick April Fools’ joke that nobody’s going to get because I certainly don’t get it.”

Councillor Leigh Higgins said he would donate the uplift to charities and Councillor Alison Freer supported the rise but said she would not personally accept the money.

Deputy leader, Councillor Malise Graham told colleagues: “This is always a contentious issue but I feel the recommendations go some way to reflecting the impact of inflation that we have all seen in a justifiable form.”

Special responsibility payments made to cabinet members and committee chairs are being frozen this year.

A new council will be elected in May.