Allowance hike Cornwall councillors need 'darkest sunglasses' to avoid voters' eyes

7:00am Sunday 13th January 2013 in Cornwall Photograph of the Author By Greg Fountain, Reporter/Photographer

The Conservative minister in charge of local government has blasted Cornwall councillors saying they “will find it very difficult” to meet the eyes of the electorate if they go ahead with their planned pay rise this year.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles advised councillors to invest in “the darkest sunglasses they can possibly get” before they next face voters if they are to push ahead with an inflation-busting 20 per cent rise in allowances, which they voted for themselves last year.

The bump in councillors’ pay packets, from a basic allowance of £12,128 to £14,600, was described back in October as a move to attract “new, young” councillors by cabinet member for sustainability John Pollard.

It will come into effect after the elections this May and aims to benefit a new cohort of councillors - although the decision, which current council leader Jim Currie described as “unfortunate” and “made in haste at the end of a very long meeting,” could be reviewed.

Amidst voting to boost their own pay packets, Cornwall councillors have also been discussing plans to fill a £6 million black hole in central government funding by taxing everyone of working age, regardless of their ability to pay.

So-called council tax benefit, which is paid as a rebate against your tax bill and is designed to help people on the lowest incomes pay their rent, will be slashed under their proposals from up to 100 per cent for the poorest individuals to a maximum of 75 per cent for everybody.

This means that everyone of working age in Cornwall, no matter how little income they actually have, will be required to pay a minimum of 25 per cent council tax.

“That struck me as being obscene,” Mr Pickles has said.

“I believe councils should lead from the front, not put their nose in the trough.”

Councillor Currie said he was “disappointed” by Mr Pickles’ comments over council tax benefit as the government had “created” the issue by transferring responsibility to local councils.

He said that a decision on the “level of contribution working age people should make towards their council tax” will be made at the next meeting of the full council on January 15.

“While we appreciate the concerns which have been expressed by some people, we simply do not have the money to pick up the bill for this,” he added.

The introduction of a minimum payment has been mooted elsewhere around the country but opponents say it is a poll tax in all but name.

Attempts by a previous Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, to introduce a poll tax or “community charge” led to widespread rioting throughout Britain in 1990.

The violent disorder directly contributed to her downfall and resignation later that year.

Comments(32)

Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:44pm Thu 10 Jan 13

That's rich coming from Eric Pickles.

The fact that Councillors themselves have to vote themselves on allowance increases is a ridiculous situation, because when ever they voted in favour it would never be the right time according to some people, and if they always voted against then the allowances would never increase and gradually no one other than those financially affluent enough to sustain the costs involved would stand for Councillor. It is down to the government to change the legislation on the voting procedure.

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meerkats says...
4:31pm Thu 10 Jan 13

sound like a load of "shady "characters to me lol.

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seacom says...
7:16pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Wrong time to vote yourself a pay rise we the voters will decide who we elect.Shame on those councillors who voted yes even those who declared they would not take the rise.Maybe a list of names could be printed of those councillors in favour of the rise to aid voters in their choice come election time.

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ronedgcumbe says...
9:07pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I think on this occasion Mr Pickles is spot on. Councilit's have underestimated public opinion on this decision. I hope some of our better councilors won't loose there seat because of this as I cannot see how you can defend this rise when you are seeking election.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
9:41am Fri 11 Jan 13

Some Councillors that voted for the rise may not even be standing for election again and some are not taking the rise if re elected, therefore they obviously voted for it for the right reasons, which is to enable those financially unable to sustain the costs themselves personally of carrying out duties and attending meetings to be able to stand for councillor.

The cost of the rise actually constitutes a very small percentage of council funds. I could think of many ways money could be saved on a larger scale such as not employing another chief executive to replace Kevin Lavery or employing one on a lower wage. If JV still goes ahead in any shape or form then I see no reason why they cannot utilise a chief executive from another source, by way of sharing.

I am on a very low income, however, I do accept that there will always be those financially better off than myself, and therefore would never begrudge someone a wage increase just because I myself may not get one.
They should never have frozen the council tax in the first place because services don't just suddenly get cheaper to run and obviously what you don't pay for one year will have to be made up in following years.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
9:47am Fri 11 Jan 13

meerkats wrote:
sound like a load of "shady "characters to me lol.
Lol, I like that.

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falmouthborn says...
9:58am Fri 11 Jan 13

If the County Councilors can vote themselves a wage increase, then in a fair society the Council workers should get a similar percentage increase, fat chance of that happening.
Under no circumstances could you say the County Council has been a success, its been a disaster for Falmouth and our local County Councilors have done nothing about it and I stand to be corrected, they all voted for the increase.

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ronedgcumbe says...
10:18am Fri 11 Jan 13

I am all for allowance increases when they are affordable.If it involves increasing council tax or sending bills to the jobless than common since should tell you they are not.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:22am Fri 11 Jan 13

ronedgcumbe wrote:
I am all for allowance increases when they are affordable.If it involves increasing council tax or sending bills to the jobless than common since should tell you they are not.
I understand what you are saying but I think you will find that whether or not the Councillors rise in allowances goes ahead or not, they will still try to start charging people for council tax that are currently exempt on financial grounds.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:29am Fri 11 Jan 13

falmouthborn wrote:
If the County Councilors can vote themselves a wage increase, then in a fair society the Council workers should get a similar percentage increase, fat chance of that happening.
Under no circumstances could you say the County Council has been a success, its been a disaster for Falmouth and our local County Councilors have done nothing about it and I stand to be corrected, they all voted for the increase.
I disagree that Cornwall Council has not been a success, since becoming a unitary authority they have saved thousands of pounds, which had they not done so each area would be in a worse financial state than it is now.
I additionally disagree that all the Falmouth Cornwall Councillors have done nothing for Falmouth.
Perhaps all the newly elected Councillors should be issued with a magic wand.

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molesworth says...
2:30pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Pay peanuts and boy, do you get monkeys. They should double the allowance to at least £28,000. I would make it £40,000. I am genuinely shocked that the people making really important decisions that affect us all earn so little. No wonder they are a useless lack lustre bunch (well, that seems to be the general opinion). Being a councillor shouldn't be about prestige and strutting about saying 'look at me, I'm a county councillor'. It should be about working bloody hard. We need proper, clever, committed people to help run this county not people who are only worth paying £14,600 a year! I pay my gardener more than that to drop in a couple of days a week and trim my bushes!

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:33pm Fri 11 Jan 13

We have got some clever efficient and committed Councillors that work very hard already, the fault lies with the cabinet system, with a good majority of the decisions being made by them alone as opposed to the whole council. We need a committee or hybrid system, that way the voting system on decisions will be far more democratic.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:51pm Fri 11 Jan 13

I have this theory that many people think their particular local Councillors do not do anything or at least anything useful for their local area, so as obviously not everyone cannot move to a different area, how about the council adopt the policy that banks etc have (or used to have) they move their staff around. Seeing as Councillors are paid mileage rates anyway why not make different Councillors cover different areas to that of where they live. That way people won't be obliged to have the same Councillors for years, because if only a couple of Councillors stand for each area then the chances are the same areas will see the same Councillors for years. I may not want to vote for who ever stands in my local area.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:24pm Sat 12 Jan 13

As the council are thinking about a five percent increase in council tax for the years 2014/2015 and a 1.97% for this year I think they should reverse the figures for the respective years so that this council have to vote on the 5% increase before the next elections. That way we would all know who votes in favour for a five percent increase before the elections. There is talk about a referendum for the 5% increase but will that come to fruition.
I realise services have to be maintained but I do not think the increase should be more than 1.05% a year.

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falmouthborn says...
4:10pm Sat 12 Jan 13

For someone who doesn't live in Falmouth Gill Zella martin, you seem to seem to take a great interest in Falmouth. I no nothing about councilors in any other towns. The way you go on you would think you where married to a Falmouth County Councilor.

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meerkats says...
4:32pm Sat 12 Jan 13

falmouthborn wrote:
For someone who doesn't live in Falmouth Gill Zella martin, you seem to seem to take a great interest in Falmouth. I no nothing about councilors in any other towns. The way you go on you would think you where married to a Falmouth County Councilor.
You dont have to live in a town ,to have interest in it. If you regularly read Gills comments ,you will know that she takes interest in a lot of things and always makes fair,sensible and interesting comments on many subjects. The remark re Gill being married to Falmouth cc was uncalled for.

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meerkats says...
4:33pm Sat 12 Jan 13

missed out the a between to and Falmouth

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
4:43pm Sat 12 Jan 13

falmouthborn wrote:
For someone who doesn't live in Falmouth Gill Zella martin, you seem to seem to take a great interest in Falmouth. I no nothing about councilors in any other towns. The way you go on you would think you where married to a Falmouth County Councilor.
Lol, I am not married to anyone and have no partner I am a widow, there are no county Councillors only Town Councillors or Cornwall Councillors. Yes I do have an interest in Falmouth as strangely enough like I have said in the past, I do not sit indoors all day or indeed the same village or town all day, I think if I did that I would be very insular and small minded. I also have a great interest in Porthleven, therefore I can't say that i know nothing about Porthleven either lol The way I go on I wouldn't think I was married to a Councillor, YOU may think that but I don't lol.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
5:24pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Incidentally falmouthborn, if you do not know anything about any other Councillors in any other towns then I suggest that is because you do not have any interest in other towns or what goes on outside of Falmouth which is of course your choice. I however do have an interest in and varied knowledge of Falmouth Porthleven, Helston and Mullion, therefore I find your marriage theory rather strange. I also have a great interest in cars so perhaps I should marry a Ford Fiesta Titanium.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
6:14pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Thank you meerkats, I suggest falmouthborn knows perfectly well that I am not married to a Falmouth Councillor, the surnames give you a clue.

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Lanty Slee says...
11:24pm Sat 12 Jan 13

molesworth wrote:
Pay peanuts and boy, do you get monkeys. They should double the allowance to at least £28,000. I would make it £40,000. I am genuinely shocked that the people making really important decisions that affect us all earn so little. No wonder they are a useless lack lustre bunch (well, that seems to be the general opinion). Being a councillor shouldn't be about prestige and strutting about saying 'look at me, I'm a county councillor'. It should be about working bloody hard. We need proper, clever, committed people to help run this county not people who are only worth paying £14,600 a year! I pay my gardener more than that to drop in a couple of days a week and trim my bushes!
That's just the basic moley.

At present, Cornwall councillors get £12,128.40 basic plus up to £25,417.65 for "special responsibilities", up to £717 subsistence and for travel up to £10,443.53

Those figures are maximums, but they make a total of £48,706.58

That's a pretty decent maximum to aim for already, I'd say - without a pay bump.

(p.s I got those figures from here: http://www.cornwall.
gov.uk/default.aspx?
page=26979)

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molesworth says...
12:06am Sun 13 Jan 13

Thanks for the info Lanty Slee. I was referring to what they get as a salary. Subsistence and travel expenses don't count. My point is that I'm not sure that all the CCs take their job seriously and start to think about how to make some money by over claiming expenses. If Cornwall was a company and the councillors were directors would they be paid this little? Would they be allowed to underachieve?

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
8:12am Sun 13 Jan 13

The Council may do a u turn on the allowance increase, however, if this does happen will it encourage any new candidates to stand for Councillor, if people feel that they cannot personally sustain the expense of the commitments it may deter them from standing.
Savings could be made within the council by cutting out most of the 'away days' particularly by cabinet members, hotel expenses etc with today's technology could some of these meetings not be held by video link etc.

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Poldark says...
10:08am Mon 14 Jan 13

Well they are now debating a 2pc rate rise, read the letter regards everyone paying to cover the non payers and the reduced rate payers, Eric Pickles is completly right in what he say's, they are a disgracefull in voting themselves such a rise.
The county councill employees have had to take almost at zero, for 4 years but not these councillors they vote thenselves almost 4k more. if they should survive the elections.
You know what the rate is before you join, and other's have day jobs alongside,also some are retired.
As for Molesworth's comment where does he think the 40 k a year will come from?, he may be able to afford the rate increase but how many others can, but never mind , it will soon be voting time we can all make our minds up. or maybe these caouncillors can be persuaded to change their minds?.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:57pm Mon 14 Jan 13

If the council want to save money then they should stop sending people abroad and all over the country to run up hotel bills etc. Make use of today's technology instead such as Skype/video link etc

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helztonboy says...
3:28pm Wed 16 Jan 13

looks like they increasing the Council Tax, I imagine they will want to buy expensive sunglasses

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
4:20pm Wed 16 Jan 13

helztonboy wrote:
looks like they increasing the Council Tax, I imagine they will want to buy expensive sunglasses
Lol, so what about the proposed 5% council tax rise then for the following year 2014 to 2015.

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Poldark says...
8:54am Thu 17 Jan 13

Regarding proposed council taxes 2014, 2015, half of those now elected will be wiped out anyway?

A new council will decide what the county pays, not the old. and all past promises from this dreadful council will be null and void..

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ronedgcumbe says...
11:02am Thu 17 Jan 13

Hopefully the new council will do the right thing a reverse the dreadfully I'll timed allowance rise.
I think it maybe time to reconsider what is an essential service with the proposal of sending council tax bills to those on means tested benefits. Sending bill to people who don't have a hope of paying them, with all the cost of court action inflicted on other tax payers along with the worry inflicted on the jobless.
I would be sorry to see for instance library closed but to keep them open with the cost inflicted directly on the poorest would be wrong.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
6:20pm Sat 19 Jan 13

ronedgcumbe wrote:
Hopefully the new council will do the right thing a reverse the dreadfully I'll timed allowance rise.
I think it maybe time to reconsider what is an essential service with the proposal of sending council tax bills to those on means tested benefits. Sending bill to people who don't have a hope of paying them, with all the cost of court action inflicted on other tax payers along with the worry inflicted on the jobless.
I would be sorry to see for instance library closed but to keep them open with the cost inflicted directly on the poorest would be wrong.
I agree with you Ron about the principle of libraries.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
6:57pm Sat 19 Jan 13

Poldark wrote:
Regarding proposed council taxes 2014, 2015, half of those now elected will be wiped out anyway?

A new council will decide what the county pays, not the old. and all past promises from this dreadful council will be null and void..
If you you think any new Councillors will be able to alter things very dramatically i think you may be mistaken, all the time they have a cabinet system it will still be ultimately the cabinet that make most of the final decisions. If you think some of the current cabinet members will not be re-elected again I think you will be disappointed. I would put money on at least one of the current cabinet members being re-elected which I think is a good thing.

Incidentally where are all these new Councillors coming from that are going to stand in order to replace existing ones, I personally only know of three new people planning on standing for councillor, please do enlighten me if you know how many more there are. You currently need five Councillors for Falmouth alone don't you ?, I think there are three in Helston etc, so where are all these new Councillors coming from that will replace the existing ones.

I personally think some of the existing Councillors are good, better the devil you know than the devil you don't as they say, whoever 'they' are.
If you do some research you could find out all the good things that some Councillors have achieved. It is no good just thinking about only the area you live in, the council works as a whole group, councillors sit on different committees and those committees make decisions in different areas about different things. Try thinking outside the box., while a councillor may not be doing what you want them to do, they may well be doing what someone else wants them to do, so what makes what you want more important necessarily than what someone else wants.!!!

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
7:35pm Sat 19 Jan 13

falmouthborn wrote:
For someone who doesn't live in Falmouth Gill Zella martin, you seem to seem to take a great interest in Falmouth. I no nothing about councilors in any other towns. The way you go on you would think you where married to a Falmouth County Councilor.
Oh yeah, it's taken me a week to think about this because I've been too busy taking an interest in Falmouth, but while I was in Porthleven this morning it suddenly occurred to me, you obviously have a problem with me having an interest outside the area of which I reside in. Has it ever occurred to you that the council works as a whole body and different Councillors sit on different committees and therefore make decisions about things outside the area they represent. In the past I took up the issue about unreliable buses therefore I contacted the relevant councillor for transport issues, it was not my local councillor though and therefore that councillor does not represent the area I live in, so I am afraid that throws your theory out about not having an interest in other areas or knowing anything about which Councillors represent other areas other than that of which I live in.
Incidentally did you have any particular councillor in mind that you think I'm married to lol please do enlighten me.
Seeing as it is a week later hopefully you won't even read this then I won't have to endure any more of your blatant insinuations.

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