Plaid Cymru-led Caerphilly County Borough Council has voted to freeze the allowances paid to its 73 members for a THIRD year running.
Since it won control of the council in 2008, the Plaid group has refused to accept recommendations proposed by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales that would have increased payments to Cabinet members, other senior councillors and backbench members.
For 2011-12 the panel agreed that the maximum basic allowance should not be increased and should remain at £13,868 a year. But the Caerphilly council will continue to pay a basic responsibility allowance of £13,030, the maximum rate set for 2008-09.
The Panel also recommends a leader’s allowance of £38,139 for 2011-12 but Caerphilly council leader Allan Pritchard will continue to receive a special responsibility allowance of £34,597, also set in 2008-09.
Councillor Pritchard, who represents the Penmaen ward, said: “Allowances for councillors have not been increased since Plaid took control of the authority in May, 2008.
“We have already recognised the difficulties many residents and local businesses are facing because of the economic situation by freezing council tax. With people suffering falls in their household incomes, Plaid believes it would be wrong for councillors to accept rises.
“MPs have been rightly condemned in the expenses’ scandal but we have shown once again that not all politicians are the same. We are here because we believe in public service. Plaid is not here to squeeze as much money as we can out of the public of the county borough.”
Councillor Pritchard was elected council leader on Tuesday, replacing Councillor Lindsay Whittle, who stepped down as leader after his election to the National Assembly.
