FOLLOWING a recent vote where councillors agreed to raise their annual allowance by nearly £1,000 one resolute councillor is choosing to give the extra cash back to the community.
A full council vote two weeks ago saw the six per cent rise in councillor’s allowance pass, with elected members’ basic allowance now increasing from £11,823 per year to £12,532 to cover costs associated with their role.
An independent remuneration panel (IRP) recommended that the allowance rate remains the same, saying that an increase ‘would be hard to justify publicly’.
The panel did however mention that the allowance remains lower than other councils, despite having been broadly in line with their peers in the past.
In the end, councillors chose to vote for the increase as concerns were raised over how their allowance had essentially been cut, having not risen since 2021 despite a period of high national inflation.
Travel allowances also rose by 25 per cent and the allowances will be backdated to the start of the financial year.
Councillors can claim £8.94 for breakfast, £12.32 for lunch and £15.28 for an evening meal, as well as 45p per mile in the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter.
These increases are expected to result in an additional £70,615 in costs for the council.
A spokesperson for Barnsley Council told the Chronicle: “All councillors receive a basic allowance in recognition of the work they do on behalf of the community, such as representing their constituents and attending council meetings.
“Members with extra responsibilities, for example, cabinet members and chairpersons of regulatory boards, also receive a ‘special responsibility allowance’ for the extra work involved.”
Coun Andy Wray, of the Rockingham Ward, was unable to vote on the decision as he was on holiday, however clarified that he would have opposed it.
Now, he intends to donate the additional £700 he will receive for his duties to local community causes.
He told the Chronicle: “You can’t turn the increase down, you have to accept it.
“So I’ve decided to donate it because I would’ve voted against it anyway.
“We keep being told that there’s a tight budget and things might have to be given up on to support this.
“For me, it’s just not the right time for something like this.
“I get that people haven’t had a pay rise, and I’m fortunate to have another job.
“But even saying that, I have taken a pay cut to be a councillor - because of my work as a councillor it means I can’t take as many students or lessons as a driving instructor.”
He plans on using the additional cash to support local community groups in the Rockingham ward, specifically naming ‘Owd Martha’s Yard, Mates of Milton and many more’.
Support will also be provided to the Salvation Army, who despite being a national organisation have supported many people locally.
“It could be that seven groups get £100 or ten get £70,” he added.
“I’ve got to accept the money, but I can do what I want with it.
“I just hope these organisations will benefit.”
