'If you care, do it for free' - anger as councillors' allowances rise again in Hartlepool

We reported yesterday how councillors have received a 2% rise in their basic allowance just a year after a controversial 30.8% increase in the money they receive for carrying out duties.

Councillors allowances are intended to compensate elected representatives for the time they spend fulfilling their duties when they could otherwise be working, and ensure people from all backgrounds can afford to take up positions in public office.

However, news that councillors are to get another increase just a year after their allowances increased by almost a third has not been welcomed by readers on the Hartlepool Mail's Facebook page.

Norman Lee Taylor said: "Shocking this like council tax always goes up - do you see our wages go up that much? No, you don’t."

Paul McKenna said: "They care more about the councillors than the people of Hartlepool. Good on councillor who refused. Give the money to the people for a change."

Margaret Irish said: "The only words that come to my mind are unfortunately not printable. The people of this town are being made complete fools of. Surely at the next round of council elections this lot will be voted out. If not maybe this town gets all it deserves."

Leigh Paterson said: "If they cared about the town they would do it voluntarily."

Tony Morrell said:"Disgraceful. At least we now know where our council tax rise has gone."

Marky Hewitt said: "We wouldn’t worry about our councillors being paid 2% more if they were delivering for us."

Leoni Mccarrick said: "How can there be a such a thing as fuel poverty, but not council tax poverty? I am literally at a point where I cant pay any more - yet the inevitable is it will rise again."