How political parties plan to vote on the proposed allowance rise for Sunderland councillors

Every financial year, the local authority is required to renew the members’ allowances scheme and to consider the recommendations of an independent panel.

The latest report from Sunderland’s ‘Independent Remuneration Panel’ (IRP), which is due to go before cabinet in January next year, recommends an increase in basic allowance.

This annual allowance is available to all 75 city councillors and has remained at the same rate for around a decade.

If the proposed 2% rise is approved by full council for 2022/23, the annual basic allowance would increase from £8,369 to £8,536.

The IRP report also made no recommendations to change existing special responsibility allowances which can be claimed in addition to the basic allowance by councillors in senior roles – such as the council leader, deputy leader, cabinet members, main opposition group leaders and chairs of committees.

Since the report was made public, Sunderland City Council’s opposition groups have said they will vote against the proposed 2% rise in basic allowance.

Although the council’s ruling Labour Group is set to meet to discuss the IRP proposals next year, city leaders say Labour has a long track record of voting against rises in councillors’ allowances.

Councillor Niall Hodson, leader of the Wearside Liberal Democrats, said that any pay rise for councillors cannot be justified against a backdrop of financial cuts and likely council tax rises in the council’s forthcoming budget.

He also called on Labour councillors to cut their existing allowances.

“Liberal Democrats are calling on the council’s Labour bosses to commit, now, to rejecting this pay rise for councillors,” he said.

“In addition we think the cuts to councillor allowances must go much further, and that travel, food and home broadband expenses for councillors scrapped entirely.”