At a full Llanelli Town Council Meeting held on Thursday 11th May, the ruling Labour administration group voted in favour to award themselves a pay rise by accepting the Remuneration Panel for Wales recommendations for Member Expenses.
Arrangements are now being put in place for payment of the following allowances to members:-
– A Civic Head payment to the Town Mayor of up to a maximum of £1,500
– A Deputy Civic Head payment to the Deputy Town Mayor of £500
– A payment of £500 to the Town Council Leader
– A payment of £500 to a maximum of 7 other members in recognition of specific responsibilities
– A payment of £30 ‘Attendance Allowance’ per member
– A payment of £156 per member towards extra household expenses
– A payment of £52 per member towards cost of office consumables / stationery
Councillor Michael Cranham, Bigyn Ward said:
“I respect that this is a matter of personal choice for members, but this decision is sadly one which will do nothing to maintain and enhance the reputation of the Town Council in the eyes of the residents we represent.
“I asked at the meeting what these extra allowances would be spent on and have yet to receive any proper explanation. This is wrong especially given the devastating effects of Austerity on our communities. Our residents deserve better.”
Councillor Sean Rees, Glanymor Ward added:
“Town Councillors have never been paid and this has always been the case in the Council’s history since its inception in 1974.
“At a time where many families, our pensioners, our disabled and the most vulnerable are struggling with a cost of living crisis, such action cannot be justified.”
Councillor Louvain Roberts, Glanymor Ward continued:
“Llanelli ratepayers are already seeing the highest increase in council tax in all of Carmarthenshire following the recent decision of the Labour-run Llanelli Town Council too in voting to increase council tax by a record-breaking 54%.
“We are calling on the ruling group to reconsider their decision now.”
The Independent Councillors who voted against the member expenses at the meeting were as follows:-
• Cllr Michael Cranham
• Cllr Amanda Carter
• Cllr John Jenkins
• Cllr John Jones
• Cllr Sean Rees
• Cllr Louvain Roberts
Councillor Terry Davies (Plaid) of Tyisha Ward has also stated his opposition to the Labour Town Council decision and pointed to the opposite direction which is being taken by the Plaid and independent County Council with its continued investment of the Tyisha and town regeneration projects.
Responding to the comments made by the Llanelli Town Council Independents, Llanelli Town Council Leader David Darkin said:
“We have implemented the proposals put forward by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales. The panel made these recommendations to promote inclusivity as it’s been shown time and again that the makeup of councils rarely reflects the population. The Panel’s recommendations include support for carers and taxis for disabled people. These are not salaries, but payments to help support members of our community to be councillors.
“This report also reflects on the fact that the role of community councils, much like the world in general, has changed a lot since the 1970s. Town councils do more than manage hanging baskets, we look after a range of parks, playgrounds and community centre facilities and a team of staff. These recommendations are for councils with an annual budget of over £200k. Llanelli Town Council’s annual budget is closer to £1.5m, at a precept level that is mid-table in comparison with other larger community councils in Carmarthenshire.
“We are keen to ensure that future candidates for council can represent our whole community and not just a small demographic who can afford to give their time for free on a regular basis. For example, at present only 14% of our councillors are under 40, whereas over 48% of Llanelli’s population are under 40.
“I would suggest that any councillor that feels strongly about receiving these payments can donate them to a local charity such as the Tyisha Foodbank.”
The Independent Remuneration Panel spent eight weeks of consultation last year prior to making the recommendation that all Welsh councillors should receive a rise of over £2000 to be in line with Annual Servey of Hourly Earnings (ASHE) data compiled and published by the Office of National Statistics. The ASHE is carried out every April to gather comprehensive data on earnings across the UK, with a sample size of approximately 300,000 respondents.
From 2018 with Independent and Plaid leadership, knew the fiscal forecast was dire and they met that Challenge head on in the Town Council budget in 2021 and 2022 by tightening the belt and thankfully with good monetary budgeting they managed to deliver for the Town a two-year respectable ZERO increase in the rates. Our Independent and Plaid Budget was unanimously agreed and seconded last year by at the time the Labour party Glan Y Mor Councillor.
Keeping the town precept below £1 Million was not easy but achievable with the forecast of a small % rise in 2023. Sadly, that is not the case with the new Labour administration in Llanelli this year, how different this Labour town administration is, adding a massive nigh on £½ million to that budget in increase, taxing the working families that live in the most deprived wards of the county, with a 54% rise. Plaid made the point as to the Tyisha ward is struggling with poor families and I objected to such a rise and voted against such a penalty imposed on Tyisha and the town wards. Backed 100% by Independents they refused any part of it. Plaid once again is not the flavour of the month with Labour when for the first time in the Towns history this Labour group of Llanelli councillors proposed to pay themselves £30 for each Councillor attending committee meetings. With 13 Committees and Town Council meeting it amounts to a massive amount in renumeration with several other payments in areas. Plaid refused to attend the Labour reinstated mayoral lavish several dinners banquet with guests that cost us thousands in a time of austerity, banquets paid by ratepayer’s money. stating I cannot sit at a table knowing the person who is paying for this meal, is an OAP a working family person that use a foodbank to put food on the table.