COUNCILLORS have voted overwhelmingly against taking a pay rise, rejecting it as “a massive disservice to the county” .
A recommended two per cent increase in county councillors’ allowances prompted numerous declarations in a full council meeting.
But there was no argument about the outcome as Durham County Council members agreed it would be wrong to take a rise.
An independent remuneration panel had recommended a two per cent increase in councillors’ basic allowance in the next financial year.
The £13,300 allowance for each of the 126 councillors has been unchanged in more than a decade, with three previous recommended increases rejected.
Cllr Richard Bell, Conservative group leader, deputy council leader and cabinet member for finance, said: “The joint administration… is not making a recommendation, leaving it to the judgment of every member.
“Issues like this should not be decided by group leaders. It’s time that members considered these issues for themselves as a free vote.
“I see no real need to have a protracted debate on this matter.”
He said it was “disappointing” to have to consider the allowance and the council had written to the Secretary of State last year “saying we should not be involved in this process” , to no avail.
Labour group leader Cllr Carl Marshall agreed, saying: “As politicians we shouldn’t be expected at all to be discussing allowances that are paid to us.
“If ever there was a conflict of interest, I think that is.
“From my point of view and from the Labour group’s point of view, it’s absolutely scandalous that we can be sitting here looking at anything like a two per cent increase in allowances.
“We are unanimous in our views as individuals as part of that group that it’s unacceptable.”
He said many residents were “on a financial cliff edge” facing a cost-of-living crisis with job losses, a public sector pay freeze and £0.25bn council spending cuts after a “horrendous 10 years” .
He added: “We shouldn’t be having a pay increase.
“We think it’s unfair, unjust, it goes against the grain with the staff and the troubles that our communities are going to be facing.”
In the final vote, 103 councillors voted in favour of Cllr Marshall’s motion for no allowance increase.
No one opposed it and three abstained.
