taken from EalingTimes.co.uk

The Tory Council leader has given himself a pay rise of nearly £12,000.
Increases in councillors’ allowances takes his to £38,950 a year, despite this saying the council needs to save around £16 million.

The announcement at Tuesday’s council meeting was met with anger by the opposition.

Councillor Sonika Nirwal, leader of the Labour group, said Councillor Stacey had put pressure on her before the meeting to persuade her not to debate the rises.

“He did not want a debate in public,” she said. “He did not want me to talk, he did not want it discussed. It is embarrassing for anyone putting their money up but he has chosen to increase £11,788 for himself.”

The deputy council leader, Councillor Ian Gibb, and the Mayor, Councillor Diana Pagan, were also singled out for big cash bonuses, with Councillor Gibb’s allowances rising £9,500 to £28,950, and the Mayor’s jumping £12,305 to £23,950 a year.

The increases take the total spent on councillors’ allowances to more than £1 millon a year for the first time.

Councillor Nirwal said: “We weren’t happy about the rises for himself, the Mayor and the deputy leader from the start.”

“He told me if we didn’t vote with him he would pull the whole motion and not discuss it again. I told him that would be fine.”