Tories call for 20 per cent cut in council allowances

LOCAL Conservatives are threatening to name and shame any councillor that rejects a 20 per cent cut in their allowance.

The average allowance for a councillor in Oldham in 2008-9 was £13,900, with Lib-Dem leader Howard Sykes on £26,850.

Kashif Ali, spokesman for the Oldham East and Saddleworth Conservatives, said: “If evidence was needed on allowances being ridiculously high, this is shown by donations councillors make to their parties once they receive their allowances.

“For example, in 2008 Oldham’s Liberal Democrat councillors donated £28,500 effectively from their allowances to their party. It is pretty scandalous and appalling.

“It’s an allowance in order to meet the financial costs of being a councillor. If local political parties are asking for donations to meet the running costs of the said party, then it should not be from the taxpayer.”

Oldham East and Saddleworth Conservatives have launched an online petition at www.cut-councillors-allowances.com