Leaders to reject recommended rise in Hartlepool borough councillors' allowances
Ruling councillors have stressed they will reject a suggested increase in allowances for elected officials in Hartlepool.
Hartlepool Borough Council Labour chiefs revealed they have received the latest proposals from the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), which makes recommendations in regards to the level of allowances councillors can claim.
The panel’s suggestion is that the basic allowance for Hartlepool councillors, which is currently £8,330, is increased by 3%.
The recommendations also include reintroducing “extra payments for certain roles, worth half of the current £8,330 allowance”.
Yet town Labour chiefs have stressed they “understand the pressures local people are under” and “now is not the time” to increase their own allowances.
In a social media statement, Councillor Brenda Harrison, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council and Hartlepool Labour group, confirmed her party will not be supporting the move and will reject the recommendations.
She said: “At a time when people across Hartlepool are struggling with the cost of living and paying more in council tax, I do not believe councillors should be increasing their own allowances.
“Hartlepool Labour will not support this recommendation. Our focus is on protecting services and standing up for residents, not taking more for ourselves.”
Councillors receive a flat annual allowance of £8,330 to help cover the time, travel, and costs of carrying out their duties.
Labour chiefs highlighted this not a salary or wage and that many councillors serve while working, raising families or in retirement.
In February 2024 an authority-wide meeting of the borough council considered the IRP’s previous suggestions.
At that time the panel’s recommendation was that the basic allowance for councillors be frozen for one year for 2024-25 but that for the following three years it be increased by inflation, or in line with the local authority staff pay award, with the option to review this at year two.
Councillors agreed the basic allowance be frozen but rejected the suggestion to pencil in any future increases, adding they would review the position again when required.
The council previously had special responsibility allowances (SRAs), which were paid to a number of councillors who held positions with varying degrees of additional duties.
However, these were scrapped from April 2024 in line with budget proposals from the then-leading Conservative coalition.