“We’re all in it together” - unless you’re a Luton councillor, it seems.
A independent panel’s report recommending the basic allowance for councillors in Luton be cut from £7,500 to £7,000 has been rejected, with a vote resulting in a three-year freeze instead.
Lib Dem group leader David Franks called the decision “a disgrace”, saying: “It’s alright to cut everywhere else but not their own allowances.
“There is no point in having an independent panel if you are not going to listen to what they say.”
Recommending the reduction, the panel said in their report that the level of allowances was currently higher than it should be if the proper formula was used for calculating it, and said a basic rate of £7,000 was “fair and reasonable”.
They added: “It is entirely appropriate for the town’s councillors to share in Luton’s current troubles, and to tighten their collective belts. We believe that council tax payers would expect nothing less.”
Blaming the country’s economic problems on failed policies of the current government, council leader Hazel Simmons said: “A cut of over 6.5 per cent could mean real difficulties for many councillors, but at the same time, we think it is right that we recognise the hardships being suffered by many Luton residents. We are therefore in favour of freezing allowances at their present level.
“However all councillors will be written to asking if they would like to take a voluntary cut of £500 in their allowances.”
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