Melksham councillor urges council to ‘move on’

A MELKSHAM councillor has called on the whole council to now “move on” and concentrate on delivering what as councillors they have been elected to do after members voted to keep a planned allowance increase.

Cllr Jon Hubbard made the request to fellow councillors after a meeting held at country hall last week. The decision made at the meeting means Wiltshire councillors voted to keep the allowances rise of up to 36 per cent for cabinet members. Councillors voted 60 against the motion to rescind the vote taken in November, 24 voted for the move to scrap the increase, and six abstained.

Council leader Jane Scott has already said she will not take the increase.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, leader of the Wiltshire Lib Dems said, “I don’t agree with the motion that was passed regarding councillors’ allowances made in November. I don’t believe it was fair to give such a high rise to the leader and the cabinet. However, council voted on this then and we have not seen any new evidence since we voted then.

“I would rather we spent our time looking at the plans the Conservatives have to decimate our youth services. I would rather spend our time looking at the cuts to funding for getting our young people to college and I would rather be looking at things that make a real difference to the people of Wiltshire.

“We have spent a couple of hours debating an issue that we have already spent a couple of hours debating.  Today we have seen some councillors having their day who care more about headlines than hard work. Now that’s over, can the rest of us get on with doing the real work at council?”