Labour calls for 10pc cut in councillor allowances

Oldham’s Labour group wants to cut councillors’ allowances by 10 per cent and it is challenging the Liberal Democrat-Tory leadership to follow suit.

If the cuts are made, Labour also has senior officers’ pay in its sights, to shorten the gap between highest and lowest paid council workers.

The ideas will be put to tonight’s council meeting by Labour leader Councillor Jim McMahon and his deputy Shoab Akhtar.

Councillor McMahon, who faces a cut of more than £2,000 if 10 per cent is sliced off allowances, said: “Community leaders cannot have any credibility when they are telling everyone to share the pain of budget cuts but then protect themselves.

“A saving of 10 per cent will raise £90,000 which would keep two district libraries open or pay for six frontline workers.

“This is more than a token gesture and will go towards the challenge ahead of us all.”

The idea will be put forward when members’ allowances are discussed tonight.

The allowances are set by an independent panel which recommends a freeze in basic allowances but calls for a further review in 2011 after the Government makes clear its public expenditure cuts.

Councillor McMahon says his proposal comes when thousands of low-paid council workers face salary cuts after the council’s job-evaluation exercise, and as essential services are bracing themselves for huge cuts.

He said: “We have put the challenge down and I hope the Lib-Dems and Tories can see it is the right think to do.

“Once we have made the cut we need to look at senior officer pay in Oldham Council and redress the growing imbalance of the lowest paid versus the highest paid.”