Stafford councillors set for 15 per cent pay rise

The Independent Panel on Members Remuneration – a separate body from the borough council – has recommended that annual allowances are increased from £3,913 to £4,500.

The panel has also called for the council leader's cash to be bumped up from £8,798 to £10,500 a year – a 19 per cent increase.

It comes at the same time taxpayers in the town are facing a rise in burial and cremation fees of up to 12 per cent, the town's library has been moved to save £75,000 and public sector workers are experiencing a four-year pay freeze.

A decision on the proposal will be made on Tuesday.

Stafford Borough Council leader, Councillor Patrick Farrington said: "We will have to wait and see what is said by other councillors at the meeting on Tuesday but simply, we will discuss recommendations that have been put to us by an independent panel.

"The report speaks for itself and the panel have obviously looked into this before making these propositions. Everything will have to be properly discussed at the meeting on Tuesday."

Opposition Labour deputy leader, Councillor Ralph Cooke added: "The Labour group will hold a meeting on Monday, as we do before all council meetings, to discuss the proposals, before putting our thoughts across at Tuesday's meeting."

Stafford councillor allowances were last set properly in 2012. They have increased slightly since then but only in line with inflation. Members' allowances were not due to be recalculated until next year but the early review has been triggered after the Boundary Commission recommended the number of councillors on the authority be reduced from 59 to 40.

Despite the fact individual members would receive more money under the new plan, the council has stated that overall the changes would save £23,000 this year because there are fewer councillors.

The panel said it has also taken into account the level of resources at the council's disposal, the number of meetings per year, the time spent by members on council business, the level of responsibility among other reasons.

The report into the matter states: "The panel is recommending that the basic allowance increase from £3,913.31 to £4,500 per annum. This recommendation recognised the increase in workloads because of the reduction in the number of members and the other factors brought to their attention."