Councillors are due to discuss members’ special responsibility allowances, including some proposed reductions, at a meeting tomorrow.

The Independent Remuneration Panel raised no objections to the allowances scheme for 2011/12.

Swale council leader Andrew Bowles’ allowance will remain at £11,700, but opposition leader Roger Truelove is set to have his slashed by £2,632 to £3,218.

A new special responsibility allowance of £3,218 for Labour’s chief whip is also likely to be introduced, while allowances for the planning chairman and planning spokesman should remain at £3,510 and £1,170. The audit chairman’s allowance will stay at £1,170.

Cabinet members will continue to receive £7,020 each, although the committee has been reduced from nine to six members. The three deputy cabinet members are set to get £3,510 each.

Allowances for the two scrutiny chairmen are likely to be reduced from £3,510 each to £3,217.50.

In total, special responsibility allowances will be reduced from £99,450 to £83,071. Councillors’ basic, travel and IT allowances will not change.

Labour group leader Cllr Truelove said other equally important issues raised by opposition councillors are also due to be discussed.

He said: “Questions to the administration by opposition councillors is part of the accountability process. Moreover, the four questions so far posed raise issues that very much concern local people.

“Cllr Ghlin Whelan rightly wants to know why the Sittingbourne regeneration agenda continues to stagnate. Cllr Angela Harrison wants to know what kind of lobbying is being done over the Sheppey Community Hospital.

“Cllr Nick Williams wants to hear the leader of the council state quite clearly where he stands on the Northern Relief Road, whilst I am concerned to know what is really being done with the large new homes windfalls.”

Appointments to outside bodies, such as the Queenborough Fishery Trust, are also due to be discussed.

The meeting will be held at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, on Wednesday, June 22, from 7pm.