Nearly all the councillors in Bracknell Forest have rejected pay increases amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Nearly all the councillors in Bracknell Forest have rejected pay increases amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The council voted to adopt an Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) report that recommends rises to members’ allowances. The council was required to consider the panel’s findings; the IRP charges for its work, and altering or rejecting its recommendations would have meant a further fee of around £6,000.
The IRP said allowances should neither be an incentive to stand for election nor a barrier to serving, and that basic allowances exist to help people from a range of backgrounds participate in local government without unreasonable financial disadvantage.
Under the proposals the leader’s allowance would rise to £33,512 — an increase of £400. Cabinet members, currently all Labour councillors, were recommended to increase other supplements. Back‑bench councillors’ basic allowance would rise from £9,932 to £10,154.87 if fully taken. Opposition group leaders were also recommended increases: £8,170 for Conservative leader Cllr Gareth Barnard and £5,719 for Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Mike Forster.
Councillors from all parties acknowledged the sensitivity of accepting higher pay during the cost‑of‑living crisis and the three main groups said they would not take the extra payments.
Labour group leader Cllr Mary Temperton said: “I propose that we accept the report in full, but I will be asking Labour councillors not to accept the increases proposed.”
The Liberal Democrat group argued the rise would make Bracknell’s allowances the highest in Berkshire and said they would only accept the Berkshire average. Cllr Mike Forster said: “We choose only to take the Berkshire average. Therefore I support the motion.”
Speaking for the Conservative group, Cllr Robert McLean said: “Clearly this is an issue for all members to consider in the light of their own personal circumstances, because the scheme is in place to encourage and allow people to participate in local government. “We as members will not accept any increases on our current allowances. We will be instructing officers to make sure the allowances we receive remain at the current level.”
Despite those positions, councillors unanimously voted to accept the IRP report, leaving individual members free to decline or accept any increase now or in future.
Ted ONeill, Local Democracy Reporter
