ALLOWANCES for St Albans district councillors have been increased by 1.9 percent – despite a recommendation that they should be set at three per cent. An independent panel which looks at councillors allowances recommended that they should award themselve
ALLOWANCES for St Albans district councillors have been increased by 1.9 percent - despite a recommendation that they should be set at three per cent.
An independent panel which looks at councillors' allowances recommended that they should award themselves a three per cent increase for both basic and special responsibilities for 2008/9.
But at last Wednesday's full council meeting, councillors voted in favour of a 1.9 per cent increase as recommended by resources portfolio holder Cllr Chris Oxley.
He said that in light of the current budgetary pressures he could not recommend a rise of three per cent.
But Tory councillor Geoffrey Turner said pegging back allowances was counterproductive to their aims of attracting a more diverse selection of people to become councillors.
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