Monday 18 July 2011

Independent votes against allowance reduction

At last thursday's full council meeting the report of the the independent panel on councillor remuneration was considered. The panel had proposed freezing the majority of allowances but also suggested some selective but significant cuts. By way of example (and unlike the other group leaders) my own allowances will reduce by £4K per annum. I thought the report was generally reasonable and properly recognised the economic challenges the council currently faces. However it was a surprise that leading Independent Ron Woodley was the only member of council to vote against the recommendations of the panel which, as no alternatives or amendments had been proposed by any member, would have blocked the proposed cuts.I am not sure whether this was his intention but if not it is surprising that even after 4 years as a councillor he can make such a straightforward error. No doubt he will say that he really wanted to reduce allowances - then why not make a proposal or amendment to that effect!