19% Pay Rise Proposed for Hounslow Councillors

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Increase in allowances to be back-dated to the day of the election

A report was presented to Hounslow Council this Tuesday evening (24 July) recommending significant increases in the allowances paid to councillors.

The proposal is for 19% rise in the basic allowance to £11,405. This is paid to all councillors as compensation for attending meetings and handling case work. Allowances were considered in February 2018 but no change was recommended. The new proposal will back-date the rises to 8 May of this year, the day after the local elections. The cost of the increase is predicted to be around £100,000 per annum.

The recommendations attracted cross-party support in the Council meeting.

Special Responsibility Allowances which are paid to office holders and the chairs of Council committees are to be reviewed in the Autumn.

The new level of basic allowances are based on recommendations from an Independent Remuneration Panel convened by London Councils. Allowances in Hounslow have not been significantly reviewed since 2010 and it is argued that case work has increased considerably then particularly with social media making councillors more accessible to their constituents.

Going forward the rate of allowances is to be pegged to any annual increase in council staff pay.

July 25, 2018