Latest allowances and reimbursements paid to Telford & Wrekin’s councillors published
The allowances and reimbursements paid to Telford & Wrekin’s councillors have been published for the latest financial year.
The total allowances paid to councillors in 2015/16 was £616,303 compared to £618,086 in 2014/15.
Councillors all receive a basic allowance of £7,870 a year for their work. Further special responsibility allowances are paid to councillors who perform additional duties such as a cabinet or scrutiny role.
The amount paid to councillors is £14,121 below what councillors were entitled as the Council’s cabinet took a voluntary ten per cent reduction in their additional responsibilities allowance.
Councillors and co-optees can also claim reimbursements for expenses incurred in their council work. In 2015/16 this was £847.55, the lowest figure for many years and 93 per cent less than the 2009/10 figure of £12,008.
Full details of what each councillor is paid and reimbursements claimed are published at http://www.telford.gov.uk/downloads/download/140/payments_to_councillors.
Council leader Shaun Davies said: “When our services are under extreme financial pressures, it’s only fair that every member of the cabinet has helped by choosing to reduce their special responsibility allowance.
“Today the total paid to councillors is nearly £58,000 less than it was in 2009/10, while the level of reimbursements is at one of its lowest ever levels. Over the last five years the Cabinet not claiming their full allowances has saved more than £105,000 alone.
“As we face more and more cuts as our Government grant is reduced further, I and my cabinet colleagues remain committed to continue to forgo our full allowance.
“As an open council it’s very important our residents have access to this information and know what their representatives receive for their work as Telford & Wrekin councillors.”
Telford & Wrekin has 54 councillors, however the number of councillors receiving allowances in 2015/16 was higher because elections during the year saw a number of new councillors elected who received a pro-rata allowance, as did those who ceased being councillors at the election in May 2015.
