Telford & Wrekin councillors allowances and expenses down by nearly six per cent

The Council has today published how much each of its councillors received in allowances and expenses in the last financial year.

The payments are published on www.telford.gov.uk/opencouncil which hold a range of information including how much the Council’s most senior managers are paid and everything the Council buys costing more than £500.

The figures show that last year councillors received almost £620,738 in total in allowances - flat rate payments made to councillors for the roles they perform.

This is down from £651,370 the year before following the Council’s cabinet decision to reduce its special responsibilities allowances by 10 per cent from last May and a cut in the number scrutiny postions. One cabinet member has also not taken any of their entitled special repsonsibility allowance.

Overall allowance payments to councillors and co-optees in 2011/12 fell by 4.7 per cent.

All councillors receive a basic allowance of £7,870 and some councillors receive further allowance payments for special responsibilities such as performing a cabinet or scrutiny role or that of another post such as the Mayor.

The figures also show that last year councillors claimed £3,977 in expenses, compared with £12,409 the previous year, a 68 per cent reduction.

Council leader Kuldip Sahota said: “One of the cornerstones of a co-opertaive council is being very open and honest with our residents about where public money is spent and publishing the payments made to councillors is a very important part of that process.

“It is only right that in these hard economic times, those payments should go down and this is largely due to the decision of the cabinet to reduce its special responsibility payments, ensuring residents get value for money.

“This and our decision to reduce scrutiny chairs will save the Council nearly £40,000 a year, money that can go towards protecting services for the people of the borough.”