More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Three councillors have declined a 4.2% pay rise as their constituents face financial hardship from the coronavirus crisis.
Conservative county councillor Emma Dawson, of Birchington, and Margate county councillor Barry Lewis (Lab) have become the latest elected members to reject the extra £656 of public cash. Their decision comes six days after Thanet counterpart, Ramsgate councillor Karen Constantine (Lab), also did.
All three sent a letter to Kent County Council's (KCC) head of governance, Benjamin Watts, asking for the additional funds to be kept back. This comes a week after the majority of KCC's 81 elected members voted for the pay rise.
Cllr Dawson, who initially voted in favour of the pay rise during last week's full council meeting, said: "The fundamental reason behind me rejecting my new increase is that I am certainly aware of the current times.
"During the pandemic many families have been finding it difficult and will be hit hard with job losses, loss of businesses and furloughed on a reduced salary, some may not even be taken back into work.
"Many are struggling to meet their household bill payments. The economy is at a critical low point which will require time, effort and resilience to dig our way out of the huge hole."
Councillors receive a "basic allowance" which refers to the amount of cash paid to them by KCC for their services throughout the year. KCC says basic allowances are not “salaries” because councillors are not full time employees.
Around £1.3million will be paid out to KCC’s 81 members during this financial year. The latest increase will see the amount they receive rise from £15,561 to £16,217 for each of them.
Explaining his decision to waive the financial increase, Margate's Cllr Lewis, who is the chief whip of KCC's Labour Group, said: "I have never in reality taken a pay rise because I have given the money to charity.
"But, I have been lobbied by my constituents on on the principle of not receiving the money and decided to follow the direction of Cllr Constantine."
He later told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It's an individual decision that each councillor has to wrestle with their conscience."
KCC’s leader Roger Gough (Con), who will see his pay rise from £66,000 to £70,000 for this financial year, described the system as “awkward” for the Conservative administration and said he understands residents’ frustrations.
Around 15 KCC members abstained during the key vote, including five Labour councillors, seven Liberal Democrats, two Conservatives and one Green party member.
On Friday, Cllr Constantine said she felt "uncomfortable" taking the extra cash and said: ""I could not in good conscience accept the pay increase and I shall continue to represent the residents here to the best of my ability."
Many other councillors are seeking to donate their cash to local charities within their wards while others felt it was unethical to support a motion to increase their pay amid the public health emergency.
