Greens break promise by asking for higher allowances

The Conservatives have called for an end to Councillors' Green perks
  • Greens lodge request for additional allowances ahead of City Budget
  • Request breaks Greens’ promise that Co-Chairs arrangement would not cost city taxpayers any more
  • Move comes as Greens are planning to hike Council Tax; Parking permits in Thursday’s City Budget

 

Conservative Group Leader Steve Bell said that the Greens had shown they were out of touch with ordinary residents in the City after they lodged a request for additional special responsibility allowances with the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

The Greens’ request, which comes after a promise that their policy to split Committee Chair positions would not cost the taxpayer any more, asks that Co-Chairs are able to claim multiple special responsibility allowances for positions across committees.

 

The Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel was unable to come to a decision when it first met to consider the Greens’ request and is now asking for representations from Councillors.

 

Conservative Group Leader Steve Bell said that the ill-timed moved showed that the Greens were out of touch with ordinary residents in the City.

 

“It is important to remember the Greens stated that it would not cost the taxpayer of the city any additional money when they decided to bring in this model of governance.

 

“The Greens and Labour together already claim somewhere approaching £2.7 million of Brighton & Hove taxpayers’ money over the four years from 2019-23 for their own allowances to be both the administration and opposition at the same time.  It is staggering that they want more.

 

“In a similar vein they have asked residents to swallow the 4.99% council tax hike, when fiscal responsibility over the past year should have seen a delivery of a zero council tax increase, but because of ideological policies which has cost the City £16 million we are left with this increase. They have failed the City and its residents.

 

Don’t forget they have also asked to keep their Green perks for councillors’ cycle mileage and bus passes. You couldn’t really make this up.

 

Conservative Finance Spokesperson Joe Miller said that it was wrong for the Greens to be seeking to pay themselves even more special responsibility allowances at the same time they are hitting residents across the city hard by hiking Council Tax and residents’ parking permits.

 

“What we have seen from the Greens is an administration not only fiercely protecting their own perks but also looking to increase them.

 

“At the same time the Greens are hitting residents hard - not only increasing council tax by the maximum possible amount but also increasing car parking permits in some areas of the city by 33%.

 

After wasting £16 million of taxpayers’ money in the past year on policy follies, the Greens have a responsibility to work harder to find savings.  This includes looking at themselves and their own perks.

 

“I call on the Greens to withdraw their request to the Independent Remuneration Panel and work harder to protect residents from their proposed maximum council tax rise before the budget is handed down” Cllr Miller said.

 

ENDS.