Barnet Tories proposing a payrise for themselves

 Next week, we see the Barnet Council Budget Commitee meeting. Item 14.1 is to vote themselves a payrise. In 2019-2020, the last year for which paid allowances have been published, the basic allowance was £10,569 (for this you need to turn up to a minimum of two meetings a year). There are other allowances for chairs of committee's, the Mayor, etc.

Councillors are lucky. They can vote themselves pay rises. It may come as no surprise that they are doing just that next Tuesday. You can see the new allowances BY CLICKING HERE. It seems the Barnet Tories are putting this up to £10,998, a payrise of £428.31 since the start of the pandemic

As for the leader. He currently gets £43,618.63 in allowances. This will go up to £46,283 - a payrise of £2,664.47. 

You can see what your councillors were getting at the start of the pandemic in 2020 BY CLICKING HERE. How many people in the public and private sector are getting 4-6% pay rises in this period? My guess is only ones who can vote for it themselves.

Interestingly, there is nothing in the agenda for public questions. Is this because they don't want difficult questions about giving themselves a payrise?

I find it disgusting at this time, when the budget is under real stress that they are giving themselves a payrise far in excess of that which most taxpayers in Barnet will be getting. I also find it disheartening that they can't even spell conclusion.

I have submitted a question, even though it doesn't appear that they are allowed. I have asked the chair & CEO  to use their discretion to accept the question. The question is :-

"Does the committee believe that at a time when every household in Barnet is suffering from a squeeze as a result of the cost of living crisis, voting for an inflation busting payrise, subsidised by Council tax payers reflects well on the council"

 *** Please note this blog has been corrected since first published as we mistakenly believed councillors had frozen allowances in the 2021-22 period in solidarity with the general public. We apologise for any distress caused to Barnet Council  - the current payments are DETAILED HERE ***