Councillors accused of "lining own pockets" after blocking changes to allowance and expenses

Labour ignored independent a raft of recommendations over pay freezes and expenses cuts



Labour councillors have been accused of “lining their own pockets” after ignoring independent recommendations that would have seen changes to their allowances and expenses.

An independent panel made a total of 13 recommendations which would have saved £13,800 by scrapping things like pay increases for deputy cabinet members and being able to claim travel expenses for meetings at the Council House.

There was also a recommendation to increase the allowances for the leader of the opposition and his deputy to bring Coventry in line with other councils.

But, during a full council meeting on Tuesday, Labour used its majority in the chamber to force through changes which saw eight of the 13 recommendations scrapped entirely and three heavily amended. Just two were passed without change.

All Conservative councillors, and the one independent councillor, present voted against Labour’s amended plans.

The vote came just weeks after Labour pushed through budget plans which will see residents pay 4.9 per cent more council tax while targeting £36m of cuts to services by 2020.

Cllr Tim Sawdon said: “The changes are viscous, nasty and divisive.

“As soon as an independent panel reports what do they do? Out of the 13 recommendations they reject eight of them.

“There’s little point having an independent panel when the Labour Party is determined to line its own pockets. That is what it is doing.

“One deputy cabinet member, and I haven’t the slightest idea what he does in the role, who does not serve on any other committee, body, scrutiny board or anything and you want to increase their income. But you want to chop the income of the leader and deputy leader of the opposition.

“What sort of democracy are you trying to run in this place? This is appalling.”

Labour leader Cllr George Duggins, said: “I think it’s a disgraceful slur to say colleagues ar lining their pockets. No they are not, what a thing to say.

“We all know councillors earn every penny that they get. There isn’t any question about that.”

By law, the council must commission an independent panel to review its allowance and expenses scheme every four years.

Is anyone really surprised? Let's face it, few councillors are in it for the love of the job. They're largely in it because they're unemployable elsewhere but have managed to make a few contacts as they meandered through life.