Bedford Borough Council’s Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors have undertaken a ‘cynical ploy’ in claiming to have frozen their allowances – after accepting a 2.2% increase.
Last year the Council’s Conservative Group voted against a proposal to link councillor pay with any salary increase received by Council staff. However, Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors backed an increase in their pay packets which means their pay went up by 2.2% in January in accordance with a pay award for local government staff.
Despite this, at a Council meeting last week Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors said they would freeze their allowance for 2015/16 even though no further pay increases are planned for the Council’s staff.
Cllr Stephen Moon, the Conservative Group Leader said:
‘It is nothing short of a cynical ploy for Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors to vote for and receive an increase in their pay one year and then claim to ‘freeze’ their allowances the next when there are no further plans to increase salaries anyway.
‘The Council is continuing a restructure that has seen many Council staff made redundant. In this context we need to find efficiencies wherever possible so it is unacceptable for elected members to vote through an increase in their own pay packets.
‘Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors need to remember that being a councillor is a public service and not a job.’