Wiltshire councillors reject independent allowances recommendations

By Local Democracy Reporter Peter Davison

Proposals to save taxpayers around £224,000 a year by overhauling councillors’ allowances have been overwhelmingly rejected by Wiltshire Council’s elected members.

Councillors instead overwhelmingly backed their own alternative which, during a heated debate at full council on Tuesday 20th October, was said to save only about £5,000 from the £2.52 million allowances budget.

An Independent Remuneration Panel, commissioned at a cost of £2,500, made 25 recommendations after carrying out what it described as an “in-depth review” of a system largely unchanged since 2017.

But the leader of the council said the panel’s conclusions showed “a lack of respect” and “a lack of understanding” of councillors’ work.

The panel recommended councillors continue to receive a basic allowance of £17,585, but proposed major changes to Special Responsibility Allowances paid for additional roles – including political group leader roles, holding cabinet positions, and chairing committees.

The panel said councillors should only be able to receive one SRA.

It also recommended cutting the deputy leader’s SRA from £35,169 to £26,377, halving Area Board chair allowances from £9,892 to £4,397, and abolishing several payments altogether.

Cllr Gavin Grant, the council’s cabinet member for finance, said the overall saving identified in the council report was £224,000.

The proposals faced fierce cross-party opposition.

Cllr Ian Thorn, leader of the Liberal Democrat-run administration, said, “The value we bring to our communities, the value we bring to the taxpayer is extraordinary and remarkable.”

“If it’s about comparators then the argument should be about how we bring up to standard the other councils rather than drag this council down.”

Cllr Richard Clewer, a former council leader who now heads the Conservative opposition, also opposed the recommendations, arguing restricting members to one SRA would risk making local government the preserve of the “independently wealthy or the retired”.

But Reform UK group leader Ed Rimmer – whose members were elected on a pledge to cut council costs – challenged colleagues to accept the independent panel’s proposals wholesale.

“I feel quite uncomfortable with the notion of us cherry-picking bits of what they’ve recommended,” he said, before moving an amendment to adopt all 25 recommendations.

Cllr Boaz Barry (Reform UK) said, “I am really struggling with this because at a time when we ask residents to pay more and accept less, how can we continue doing that without altering our own allowances?

“We expect the public to tighten their belts and we really should be tightening ours at the same time.”

But cabinet member Adrian Foster told Cllr Rimmer, “It is optional whether you take these allowances or not. You don’t have to take them if you don’t feel you are doing enough work to get that reward.”

Cllr Rimmer’s amendment was heavily defeated, with 14 voting for, 76 against, and five abstaining.

Supporters of the council’s alternative argued adequate allowances were essential to prevent elected office becoming unaffordable for working-age people.

Conservative councillor Phil Alford told the meeting, “I’ve got a mortgage. I’ve got young kids. If the SRAs weren’t paid for the various roles, there’s no way people like me would be able to do this job.”

Councillors ultimately approved its alternative by 75 votes to 11, with four abstentions, formally rejecting the panel recommendations it did not want.