County councillors cost taxpayer £1.3m in wages over 12 months

By ilewis

CARMARTHENSHIRE councillors cost the tax payer £1.3 million in wages over the past 12 months.

Wages are described as allowances by the authority and split between a basic and special allowance. The special allowance is paid to councillors who are either on the executive board or who chair various scrutiny committees.

The combined earnings of the authority's councillors in the last financial year was £1,311,271. The highest earner was council leader Meryl Gravell, who earned a basic allowance of £13,321, but then took home £33,760 in special allowances — bringing her total earnings to £47,181.

Campaign manager for the Tax Payer's Alliance, Susie Squires, said the amount being earned by councillors was far in excess of what they deserved.

But, defending the councillors' earnings, council spokeswoman Debbie Williams said: "Those with a portfolio, such as executive board members, carry out full-time jobs. All councillors also work in their communities and are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

“BEST value” is a phrase much loved by councillors and council officers when they are explaining important spending decisions.

So it will be up to the councillors of Carmarthenshire to convince taxpayers whether they are providing value for their package of allowances or not.

Of course, the role of a councillor comprises much more than attending formal meetings, and it is hard to put a monetary value on the assistance offered to residents in his or her ward.

It is also important that people from all backgrounds have the chance to offer themselves for public service.

But in the light of the MPs’ expenses furore, today’s figures will be scrutinised more avidly than usual.

Llanelli councillor John Jenkins attended just 15 formal meetings in a year, so his allowance averages out at nearly £1,000 a meeting. Plus he still has time to hold down a full-time job.

He may not place much value on attending “stuffy council meetings” but, as the average Carmarthenshire wage is £17,000, there must be plenty of his constituents who would put up with them for a couple of hours a month for that kind of money. It makes standing for council sound quite attractive.