News

TORY PAY RISE FOR COUNCILLORS DEFEATED

There will be no pay increases for Shepway Councillors after a Lib Dem amendment to the budget was carried and blocked the rise.

The amendment brought by Lib Dem John Hughes demanded that Councillors' pay should not be increased, but kept at its present level.

Cllr Hughes said: "At a time when our Council is so strapped for cash that over £800,000 is having to be saved in order to balance the budget, it would be irresponsible to raise Councillors' allowances.

"The whole Lib Dem group were astonished that the ruling Conservative Group had set several thousand pounds aside in the budget, apparently with the intention of increasing Councillors' pay."

The Lib Dem amendment was passed by the Council, even though the Conservative group tried to vote it down.

Cllr Hughes added "I thought it was outrageous to see the Conservative group trying to increase Councillors' pay. It harks back to the days when they last ran the Council and the Leader's pay in particular had increase after increase. They should be ashamed."