Llanelli Town Council Leader David Darkin has responded to comments made by Plaid and Independent Councillors regarding a proposed Attendance Allowance.
A Plaid Cymru county and town councillor in Llanelli who has received an equivalent of £445.45 per meeting – and called for the town council’s £30 attendance payment to be scrapped, is ‘demonising all politicians’, the town council leader said this week.
Official figures show Tyisha ward town councillor Terry Davies has received about £49,000 from the public purse since May 2022.
Carmarthenshire County Council is proposing that county councillors’ pay increases to £19,771 for the year 2025/26 – an increase of 17.68 per cent since 2022/23 – an extra £2,891 a year.
Town council Labour leader David Darkin said: ‘If councillor Davies is so keen on cutting costs, perhaps he could start by cutting his own pay rise.’
Blasting councillor Davies’s motion, he said he had a ‘talent for creating a storm in a teacup,’
“Cllr Davies should be ashamed of himself for using ‘populist rhetoric’ that has seen the ‘demonisation of all politicians’”, said cllr Darkin.
Cllr Davies’s motion to Monday night’s town council meeting calling for the removal of the £30 attendance payment was ‘deeply problematic and dangerous’.’ he said.
“This motion doesn’t represent a competent opposition.
“It divisively targets a single line item in the name of Press attention,’ said cllr Darkin.
The council leader said the £30 meeting attendance allowance is a modest and justifiable expense that ensures councillors are compensated for their time and effort.
“It is recommended by the pay review panel, the same body that has awarded councillor Davies his significant pay increases.
“Removing this allowance would be both unfair and counterproductive, especially when considering the discrepancies in cllr Davies’ own claims and earnings.”
Cllr Darkin told the meeting there were key points that had been ‘conveniently overlooked’,
“Cllr Davies has claimed various figures for the cost of attendance allowances, ranging from £20,000 to £15,000 and now £8,000.
“However, the actual cost, as per our council’s website, is £8,670.
“It appears that cllr Davies might benefit from a visit to Specsavers, as his figures are ‘consistently incorrect.”
Adding that cllr Davies ‘seems quite content with his own substantial pay rise’, he said cllr Davies had also claimed that he only earns £6.21 an hour, suggesting a 58.8 hours working week.
Deputy council leader Andre McPherson questioned cllr Davies’s ‘true motivations behind the criticisms’.
He said: “We must recognise that town councillors are required to attend meetings to receive this modest allowance, demonstrating a commitment to their roles and responsibilities.
“In stark contrast, county councillors can draw their salaries with far less accountability – technically only having to attend meetings just once every six months.
“This disparity is not only unfair, it undermines the very principle of dedicated public service.
“And let us not forget that town councillors have not seen a pay rise.”
Cllr Davies’s motion – seconded by Independent and unaffiliated Bigyn ward cllr Michael Cranham – was defeated after a vote.
Does the leader get £30 for every meeting he attends, ie every meeting the council has.
Sometimes can be FOUR meetings in one night… one payment of £30