Labour fail to deliver on expenses promise (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Labour fail to deliver on expenses promise

May 26, 2010 10:27 AM

Lib Dem councillor, Greg Foxsmith

Islington Labour have been accused of greed and hypocrisy after voting themselves fat-cat allowances for chairing committees that have always been chaired without an allowance.

Labour had campaigned on the issue during the local election earlier this month, saying they would cut councillors' expenses. But at the very first Council meeting, Labour:

• cut the Leader of the Council's allowance and their Executive Member allowances by less than 5%

• voted down a Liberal Democrat proposal to cut their pay by a modest 5% - as the new national Liberal Democrat-influenced government has done

• introduced a new 'fat cat allowance' of £3,000 for chairing a planning committee - positions they have given exclusively to Labour councillors

• introduced a new 'fat-cat allowance' of £3,000 for chairing the council's licensing committee - under the Liberal Democrats this position was unpaid.

The successful Labour appointees then celebrated their new allowances with a champagne reception in the Town Hall. Liberal Democrat councillor Greg Foxsmith has offered to chair one of the planning committees without an allowance, as he has before.

Lib Dem Councillor, Greg Foxsmith, comments:

"Labour campaigned on cutting councillors' expenses during the election. But in their first move in power, they have failed to do this. They could have voted to cut the pay of senior councillors by 5% as Liberal Democrats suggested. But they refused.

"Liberal Democrats in government nationally have already agreed to cut their pay by 5%, but Islington Labour leaders would not even agree that modest amount.

"To make matters Labour has created new allowances for the chairs of licensing and planning when councillors previously did these roles without getting any money. When in opposition Labour said they would cut allowances, not introduce new ones."

Note

1.Liberal Democrat councillors moved an amendment to a report on the constitution at the council's annual meeting on 18th May. This amendment was voted down by Labour and would have cut the allowances of the Leader and Executive Members by 5%. The amendment would also have removed the new allowances for the chairs of licensing and planning committees.