Isle of Wight Councillors and the majority of council employees will be paid more in the next financial year.
It has not been decided how much the allowance will be going up by, however, as the national pay award is yet to be agreed.
For councillors, it follows a £220 pay rise last year, raising the basic allowance from £8,011 to £8,231.
A report from the independent remuneration panel recommended councillors would receive an increase of an inflationary measure, which was approved by full council last week, but not all members agreed,
Speaking at the meeting Councillor Geoff Brodie, chair of the council, said councillors were not paid, it was a public service for which members are awarded an allowance from the independent panel. Cllr Brodie said:
“I will be voting in favour of this in the full knowledge that as a result of media stirrings, and I am no friend of the media on the Island anymore, know there will be attacks on us all for being greedy but I am thick-skinned enough to take it.”
Councillors across the chamber said they would not have been able to be in the role without the allowance, as it replaces their income.
However, Councillor Chris Jarman, cabinet member for strategic finances, said he could not find it appropriate to take an allowance when other Islanders would not benefit from that level of increase. He said he was compelled to vote against it.
The council chamber was split when it came to the vote but the increase was ultimately passed with 17 votes for, 15 against and 2 abstentions.
When comparing the Isle of Wight Council’s basic allowance to other unitary authorities in the South East, the independent panel found the Island paid councillors a rate second to lowest. The average across the 9 authorities, including Portsmouth, Southampton and Brighton and Hove Councils (also the top 3 highest payers), was £10,277.
Councillors are permitted expenses, such as travel, subsistence and childcare costs, as well as any special responsibility duties for the council, which pay more. For example, if a councillor is a cabinet member they get double the basic allowance (£16,462), the leader of the council gets triple (£24,693) and the deputy leader gets an extra 1.25 times (£18,520).
Disgusting and sickening, this council really do think they are above us all don’t they. As for Kommandant, sorry I mean useless councillor Brodie, what an attitude. I’m lost for words.
Well he did successfully push a decent hard working family out of their home. He’s certainly no friend of the general public or I guess certain Councillors either.
I will be voting in favour of this says councillor brodie.
well of course he is. His snout is firmly wedged in the gravy train trough and all you can hear for miles, is contented grunting as he hoovers up as much cash for himself as possible.
I am sure you can take the criticism brodie – may I point out, that it is not an accolade for being an unconscionable money grabbing toad, who is more than happy to deprive pensioners of money that would be used for heating, that they now have to pay in higher council tax, to simply be handed to you in the form of a pay rise.
There had better not be any council tax rise this year brodie.
Very well said, maybe “bullying money grabbing toad” would sum the toad up to perfection!
There is already 3% plus even more in your parish plus policing plus new one care
Talk about rubbing our faces in it !!
Oh good cos they really deserve it – NOT
I’d rather there were only half a dozen councillors, the ones the public had the most faith in.
And get rid of the rest, save money. I know for a kick off who wouldn’t be in that group.
They just argue and get to just about the same place in the end anyway.
When they say “council employees”,
Does this include people like the bin men etc. ?
As I think that people like them deserve a pay rise.
Defently not the office workers tho, sitting in there cozy offices drinking tea all day and staring at the clock. Oh no, I forgot, they all work from home nowadays.
Despicable behaviour!
And, at what ‘date’ is the figure for inflationary increased based on?
Is it the same date for as for pension increases, or is it based on the ‘current’ inflation figure – one is about 3.4%, the latter is over 5%?!
‘ I am thick-skinned enough to take it’ …….. Indeed you are sir, just count your blessings that most pensioners are NOT thick skinned enough to refuse to pay your Council Tax increases and will forgo food or heating to ensure that you and your cronies don’t send in the bailiffs to rip your money from their hands!.. Bravo.
I thought Councillors didn’t get paid, allowances obviously is another word for pay. This explains why we have limited numbers of people standing for election when they come round. Most must have second jobs or be retired and on one if not more pensions. To compare us with the mainland rate of pay means nothing, what would mean more would be more effort from our Councillors to fight harder for what this Island needs and listen to the electorate not what they feel should happen, you are in Council Office to reflect the views of the general population of the Island NOT your own view.
Why is Brodie a trustee of a none Isle of Wight Charity. Yes he is for some, but not all. This shambolic excuse for a councillor needs to go. He might be no friend of the Island media, but then again, I’m sure they are no great fan of his either. Let’s hope the Echo censors don’t delete this post.
https://iow.moderngov.co.uk/mgDeclarationSubmission.aspx?UID=116&HID=93&FID=0&HPID=0
Wonder if any of the “non disclosure” on his profile is true.
Can maybe some of the other councillors comment on this attitude, or is it rife within the inner sanctum. I’m sure we would all like to know what they think.
This paves the way for all public sector workers to push for a payrise
Well we all knew this was coming sooner or later! And yes council tax will go up and services will be cut YET AGAIN! And no they don’t care less about what we think!;
Why do they have there travel and childcare costs paid for?
Working public has to pay for it themselves, I’ve asked my boss if they canpay my petrol bill for getting to work not happening
Lets all take a trip on the EGO gravy train
I wish I could vote in my own pay rise, what a cheek how about taking a cut and reduce our council tax
Absolute disgrace pensions increase no where near inflation rate, pay rises for normal working people equate to a pay cut against inflation rate.But as usual our Councillors like MPs get preferential treatment a d inflation busting pay rises.
Talk about looking after Number One.
Why oh why do we need councillors,what do they do to benefit us, they argue with each other, often looking just for public fame. Employed Officers make decisions eg Planning, Social Care, Education,Highways and Public Health etc and follow government policies, just another way IWC waste Council Tax – why do we need a council ?. Can’t Central Government just pay wages of Officers ?. With all councils and Parish just generate need for them selves. We all pay more for less. Pay workers – Carers,bin men etc,,stop paying Agencies/consultants ,to many manager’s overseeing to few staff. Audit department – they would identify that 1/2 is wasted.