Outrage at potential pay rises for Croydon Council’s top Tories
By Ian Austen
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POTENTIAL PAY RISE: Council leader Mike Fisher
WITH Croydon Council preparing huge spending cuts, its ruling Tories have sparked outrage by backing moves which could see massive increases in allowances for senior councillors.
The pay rises, which are being put off for a year, would see council leader Mike Fisher's "salary" going up from £53,314 to nearly £65,000 a year.
Cabinet members' pay would increase from the existing £43,339 a year to £45,377.
The pay packages were agreed by the council's corporate services committee on Wednesday, at a time when the council is working on finding £70 million of cuts and imposing a pay freeze on its staff.
The changes in earnings are based on figures produced by the Independent Panel on the Remuneration of Councillors in London, which is aiming to see allowance rates for members with special responsibilities equalised across the capital.
Croydon had remained outside that scheme until Wednesday's meeting, and allowances have been considerably lower than in some other boroughs.
The opposition Labour group's anger at the proposed increases has been further fuelled by approval for cutting the basic allowance paid to councillors – the only sum backbenchers get – from £11,880 to £10,597. At the same time four more Conservatives, heading smaller committees and bodies, will be paid an extra allowance for the first time.
Dudley Mead, the council's cabinet member for finance and housing, says there was never going to be a popular time to introduce the new rates, but that he believes there is a need to work towards having a united system in London.
He recognised the proposals will create dismay at a time when public services face cuts, support for voluntary groups is being looked at and some council staff could lose their jobs.
Councillor Mead said: "The cabinet has therefore decided that none of us will take any increase this year. The position will be reviewed in a year's time, in the light of the financial situation existing then."
In another move to soften the blow for backbench councillors it has been agreed to phase in the cut – with 50 per cent being implemented in August and the remainder next April.
Cllr Mead insists the job of being a senior councillor is much more difficult and time-consuming than it used to be, and he pointed out that he works two or three full days a week on council business.
Cllr Tony Newman, leader of the Labour opposition, believes that if the Tories are prepared to put off the rises for a year they should drop the idea altogether.
He said: "For Councillor Fisher to have his snout in the trough, and be seeking to pay himself this outrageous amount at a time when his Government's policies and cuts are seeing so many council staff set to lose their jobs, is frankly disgusting."
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by Cllr Karen Jewitt, Woodside, Croydon
Tuesday, July 06 2010, 2:19PM
“I have no problem with my maths, I do understand there has been a cut, what I do not agree with and never will is 34% for one person, or any other rise for that matter. If it has been decided cuts are needed then they should be across the board, not selective.
No matter how you deride me or think that you are calling me names I will speak up for the workers and tax payers who will not have this wage hike luxury.
(I am proud to be a socialist and proud to put my name on here to be held accountable)”
by Wannabe Accountant, Croydon
Tuesday, July 06 2010, 12:52PM
“I know you might have a problem with basic maths (like most members of the Labour Party). I'm talking about the overall decrease in the wage bill. Some are getting less because they work less (backbenches) so that those that work more (cabinet members) get more.
I thought that I had explained it in a way that most four year olds could understand. Maybe it's just a bit too complicated for a Socialist to understand.”
by Cllr Karen Jewitt, Woodside, Croydon
Monday, July 05 2010, 3:39PM
“Wannabe Accountant, Croydon.......can you please explain what part of 'down' is a 34% increase?”
by Wannabe Accountant, Croydon
Monday, July 05 2010, 12:21PM
“"The Croydon Advertiser has never funded the Labour Party, that comment is a lie."
Maybe Cllr Kewitt should ask Cllr Newman to check it. Its a well known fact that a donation was made to the local party a couple of elections back.
The council are just trying to bring some ballance to cllrs pay and Labour cllrs are jumping on the bandwagon when year after year after year they have voted to increase their pay. For a change its going down.”
by Karen, Woodside, Croydon
Sunday, July 04 2010, 7:22PM
“correction I meant to say I do not doubt in better circumstances this IS deserved but we are not in better circumstances.”
by Karen Jewitt, Woodside, Croydon
Sunday, July 04 2010, 1:46PM
“I am a Labour back bencher, my allowance is the lowest in the scale, I accept the reduction as it is in the best interest of the Borough, what I will not and never accept is that Cllr Fisher and his cronies even considered bringing this to a committee and vote through a 34% hike to his allowance. How it is brought in or when is irrelevant, it will be done and the Tories voted for it. £12,800 pound more in his pocket is an insult to hardworking residents of our Borough. There have also been 4 more of their members put on special responsibility allowances so more money spent there, I do not doubt in better circumstances this is not deserved but we are not in better circumstances.
We were bombarded with promises leading up to the election that the Labour Government was short changing Croydon with the regard to our settlement, we were promised that a Tory regime would rectify this. Well they did not, our settlement has been reduced, so that promise was untrue.
The Croydon Advertiser has never funded the Labour Party, that comment is a lie. No matter how you add, subtract, shuffle figures around Cllr Fisher will still be quid¿s in. (by the Wannabe Accountant) and that is disgusting.
We are being told libraries are having days removed from their opening hours, services are being cut while this administration is spending time and money on this greedy policy.
The quote of the day must be Cllr Pollard who said residents would welcome this. No they will not and neither will I or my colleagues.
So much for the Conservative leaderships cry ¿we are all in this together¿ lies lies and more damned lies.
Cllr Karen Jewitt
Labour
Woodside”
by Mike Melbourne, Ex Croydon
Saturday, July 03 2010, 1:39PM
“The truth is these councillors should be taking a reduction and the term "allowances" is a joke.”
by Wannabe Accountant, Croydon
Saturday, July 03 2010, 12:45PM
“Maybe you should have a look at the figures in detail before making uninformed comments.
Councillors are taking a pay cut of 1,283. There are 70 of them so that a cut of £89,810. With the small cut for the Opposition Leader and Whip (who do very little) the total decrease in the wage bill is £90,456.
When you look at the increases.
7 Cabinet members taking an extra £2,038 each. That £14,266. The Deputy Leaders (two of them) £2,134 each (thats £4,268). Plus an extra £457 for the Mayor. And a few extra bits for committee chairs. the total increase is £76,839
So an increase of £76,839 against a decrease of £90,456 means a TOTAL DECREASE in the overall wage bill of £13,617. And they won't take the increase for the first year. So a saving for the first year of £90,456.
The facts speak for themselves. The Advertiser has always been very biased (several Editors are/have been members of the local Labour Party). And in the past the Advertiser has made donations to the Croydon Labour Party. It is in their interest to distort the facts to mislead the public.
(I hope this doesn't hurt the Labour front bench's heads, having to think is difficult for them.)”
by anon, anon
Friday, July 02 2010, 11:36PM
“good. dats wat people get for voting in da tories, wat did u fink dat they were gunna suddenly relax and change? Same Old Torries”
by Anon, croydon
Friday, July 02 2010, 9:10PM
“bet you all regret voting the tories in now..read it and weep..”