Surrey Lib Dems launch petition calling for Tory pay rise to be scrapped
Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey have launched a petition calling for the recent increase in allowances for Conservative councillors to be reversed. The increase was voted through by Conservative Councillors with four new positions of "Deputy Cabinet Member" created, each at a cost to the taxpayer of £10,000, despite the County Council planning millions of pounds of cuts to services over the next year. The Conservatives also voted to reinstate allowances for vice-chairs of committees, contradicting a report from the Independent Remuneration Panel which concluded that allowances for vice-chairs were not necessary.
Cllr Chris Botten, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said today:
"We are calling on Surrey residents to back our campaign for this increase in allowances to be scrapped and the money be used instead to support council services. It simply is not right in the current financial climate for the Conservatives to award themselves a payrise while at the same time cutting services for residents. The County Council's finances are in a parlous state and every penny must be spent wisely, so I call upon the Leader of the Council to scrap this pay rise immediately."
Cllr Fiona White, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, added:
"Liberal Democrat county councillors voted against these proposals because it was the right thing to do. How can we look our residents squarely in the face when we are increasing our allowances but cutting their services? The County Council faces enormous challenges in the future, in terms of funding and increased demand for services. Those are the challenges that the Conservatives should be focussed on, not increasing their own allowances".
NOTES
A linkt to the petition can be found here:
A webcast of the relevant Council meeting can be found here (with the Item on allowances starting at 1:39:00):
https://surreycc.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/352601
A copy of the Leader's response to the Independent Remuneration Panel report can be found here:
The Council papers for this item can be found here (Item 15):
https://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=121&MId=5841&Ver=4