This Council condemns the revelation that, on 22 August 2018, the Labour Group via the Leader of the Council wrote to the Corporate Director for Finance and Systems instructing that the voluntary reduction of 1.9% applied to Members Allowances since 2013/14 be reversed.  

Council notes:

·          This letter was submitted secretly with no public accountability or scrutiny of the change

·          That the change in allowances was subsequently backdated to April 2018

·          That the Labour group also requested this change to be applied to significant Special Responsibility Allowances, to ensure maximum personal financial benefit for Labour members

Council finds it abhorrent and hypocritical that this Labour administration has the audacity to talk about austerity whilst at the same time:

·          increasing their own allowances, in secret without scrutiny

·          trebling the cost of the Corporate Leadership Team to nearly £1m per annum in the last 10 months 

·          overseeing the deterioration of services in Trafford (see Children’s Services) through poor leadership and management

The Council requires every Labour member to return their increased allowance to the taxpayers of Trafford and for members’ allowances to be reset to the levels stipulated in 2015/16 to be consistent for all Members (i.e. 98.1% of present full allowance).

In accordance with Procedure Rule 12 (d) it was moved and seconded that:

“the next item of business listed on the Summons ‘Motion Submitted by the Conservative Group - Members' Allowances Increases for Labour Councillors’ be referred to the Standards Committee for consideration.”

In accordance with Procedure Rule 13.8 (d) ‘Motions which may be moved during debate’ it was moved and seconded that the question be now put.

With the consent of the Council, the Motion to refer the matter of Members’ Allowances Increases to Standards Committee was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: That the matter of the Motion Submitted by the Conservative Group - Members' Allowances Increases for Labour Councillors, be referred to the Standards Committee for consideration.

This Council condemns the revelation that, on 22 August 2018, the Labour Group via the Leader of the Council wrote to the Corporate Director for Finance and Systems instructing that the voluntary reduction of 1.9% applied to Members Allowances since 2013/14 be reversed.  

Council notes:

·          This letter was submitted secretly with no public accountability or scrutiny of the change

·          That the change in allowances was subsequently backdated to April 2018

·          That the Labour group also requested this change to be applied to significant Special Responsibility Allowances, to ensure maximum personal financial benefit for Labour members

Council finds it abhorrent and hypocritical that this Labour administration has the audacity to talk about austerity whilst at the same time:

·          increasing their own allowances, in secret without scrutiny

·          trebling the cost of the Corporate Leadership Team to nearly £1m per annum in the last 10 months 

·          overseeing the deterioration of services in Trafford (see Children’s Services) through poor leadership and management

The Council requires every Labour member to return their increased allowance to the taxpayers of Trafford and for members’ allowances to be reset to the levels stipulated in 2015/16 to be consistent for all Members (i.e. 98.1% of present full allowance).

RESOLVED: That since the time was approaching 9.30 p.m. and the meeting was to be adjourned, the Council agrees to reconvene at the rising of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council being held at 7.00 p.m. on 23 July 2019 to consider both this and the other remaining item of business, namely Item 10(g) “Motion Submitted by the Liberal Democrats Group – Empty Homes Premium Scheme”.