Labour councillors have paved the way for a 5% pay rise for councillors next April by failing to support a move to limit any increase to the rate of inflation.

At the Sefton Council meeting held at Bootle Town Hall on Thursday evening 21st September, a Lib Dem move to exclude councillors from Labour’s proposed 5% across-the-board pay increase next April, was defeated.

The problem highlighted by Lib Dem councillors Daniel Lewis and Simon Shaw, was that Members Allowances in Sefton Council are automatically linked to the average pay increase given to Sefton Council employees. So, with Labour proposing a 5% pay increase for all staff, this would also mean a 5% pay increase for councillors.
“We felt that was simply not right,” says Lib Dem Group Deputy Leader Cllr Daniel Lewis, who proposed the Lib Dem amendment which called for any increase for councillors to be limited to no more than inflation.

Cllr Simon Shaw, who seconded the amendment, added: “I was appalled to see a number of senior Labour councillors arguing that they ‘deserved’ a 5% rise,”

“It’s not as if we were even arguing for councillors’ pay to be frozen, merely that it shouldn’t rise by more than inflation.”

Although the Conservatives supported the Lib Dem call for restraint, the controlling Labour Group defeated the move.



1. Text of the Labour Motion to Council Meeting 21 Sept 2017: http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/moderngo...&Opt=3#AI40038

2. Text of the (defeated) Lib Dem amendment:

In addition this council calls for the Members Allowances Scheme (which currently specifies that 'Increases in Members Allowances will be linked to the average pay increase given to Sefton Council employees') to be amended so that, in no circumstances shall any increase in Members Allowances exceed the increase in the rate of inflation (CPI).

3. Details of the Union Pay Claim for 2018: https://www.unison.org.uk/content/up...8-19-FINAL.pdf
4. Details of Sefton Council Members Allowances Scheme: https://www.sefton.gov.uk/media/1247...me_2017-18.pdf

When do we get the factually accurate version rather than the Lib Dem Party political broadcast version/distraction from the recent behavioural embarrassment which is surely bringing the party into more disrepute that Dawson’s ego overflow.

From my understanding this is about supporting a union recommendation not voting to give themselves more money, now one may lead to another but it’s disingenuous to try and paint the story in that way. However I guess our councillors thinks the world revolves around them and their parties.....we were far better off when councillors were pillars of the community wanting better for the town rather than mini-MP’s/party henchmen.

Happens a lot though:

Originally Posted by roving-eye

(defeated) Lib Dem

If we can trust them to write honest “party political broadcasts” how can we trust them to represent us?

Do think roving eye should change title of article and maybe have “article submitted on behalf of <>” as on tv we normally get told if something is a party political broadcast. If it’s true then I’m sure the parties shouldn’t mind.

They have not voted to give themselves a pay rise. They don't have the power to give themselves or even their staff a pay rise.
They have voted to support the trade unions' claim for a national payrise of 5% for all council staff nationally. The unions claim is submitted to the National Joint Council (NJC) who decide pay nationally for council staff.
The chance of 5% being awarded are very slim let alone the chances of the NJC being swayed by a handful of councillors from a small local council. Pay claims of 5% have been submitted by the unions ever year in recent years and usually result in a settlement of 1%.
This is not a news report it is misleading Liberal Democrat propaganda. Perhaps roving eye could tell us who actually wrote this report for him as it also appears word for word on That Other Site

It is no surprise that the comrades would like to enrich themselves rather than spending on services. Snouts in troughs and all that...

What they actually voted for:

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor Lappin



Motion in relation to NJC Pay to Councils



This Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council notes that:



• NJC basic pay has fallen by 21% since 2010 in real terms



• NJC workers had a three-year pay freeze from 2010-2012 compounded in Sefton by an incremental freeze for several years too



• Local terms and conditions of many NJC employees have also been cut, impacting on their overall earnings



• NJC pay is the lowest in the public sector



• Job evaluated pay structures are being squeezed and distorted by bottom-loaded NJC pay settlements needed to reflect the increased National Living Wage and the Foundation Living Wage



• There are growing equal and fair pay risks resulting from this situation



This council therefore supports the NJC pay claim for 2018, submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers and calls for the immediate end of public sector pay restraint. NJC pay cannot be allowed to fall further behind other parts of the public sector. This council also welcomes the joint review of the NJC pay spine to remedy the turbulence caused by bottom-loaded pay settlements.



This council also notes the drastic ongoing cuts to local government funding and calls on the Government to provide additional funding to fund a decent pay rise for NJC employees and the pay spine review.



This council therefore resolves to:



• Call immediately on the LGA to make urgent representations to Government to fund the NJC claim and the pay spine review and notify us of their action in this regard



• Write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor supporting the NJC pay claim and seeking additional funding to fund a decent pay rise and the pay spine review



• Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and the pay spine review

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/moderngo...d=143&MId=8900

We need less wards and therefore less councillors. What do they do all day ? Paper shuffling I guess. Some have jobs so what they do for us can not be that demanding.

Time for change.

Originally Posted by cotton man

We need less wards and therefore less councillors. What do they do all day ? Paper shuffling I guess. Some have jobs so what they do for us can not be that demanding.

Time for change.

That's a good question! It would be interesting to know how many hours they devote each week to their council jobs and what hourly rate that equates to.