Daventry councillors vote to increase their allowance

On Thursday (February 20) elected members voted to take up the £172 increase, which will see the allowance rise from £4,903 per year to £5,075.

The 3.5 per cent increase is based on the average pay increase for workers in the East Midlands region, which is calculated on figures produced by the Office for National Statistics.

Recent increases have seen allowances rise by 2.5 per cent last year (2019) and by 3.4 per cent and 2.5 per cent in the previous two years.

The £172 increase for each of the 36 councillors will cost the district council - which is in its final year of existence before being replaced by the new West Northamptonshire Council - an extra £6,192 for the year.

Special responsibility allowances for senior councillors such as the leader and certain cabinet members will also increase by 3.5 per cent.

The recommendation to increase the allowance has come from the council’s independent remuneration panel, which is made up of three people who are independent from the council. The three members are a retired local businessman, a retired civil service inspector and a former HR Director.

A report read by councillors stated: “Members are under no obligation to accept the standard of living increase, and could choose to forgo the increase and the allowances in general, in whole or in part, on an individual basis if they so wished. Members would need to confirm this in writing.

“On reviewing the allowances scheme, the panel considered comparative information from other local authorities and noted that the allowances for Daventry were well within the range.”

Deputy leader Councillor Adam Brown said: "We have an independent panel to keep this apolitical, and I think we should go with their recommendations."

The evening meeting also saw the council's final ever budget agreed, including a council tax rise.