SNP, Councillors Pay and 'Gaming the System'


The bumper pay rise being proposed for Scotland's local councillors was actually dreamt up while Humza Yousaf was First Minister, as this post from the blog archive explains.

I imagine the idea for such an eye-watering increase was quietly dropped in the run-up to July's UK general election although the timing now is even worse since SNP ministers keep telling us they have no more money to spare.

Yet the cost of this new pay scheme has already jumped from £5.4 million to £8 million a year - in the space of just a few months.

Even more ludicrously while many local councillors have second jobs the new ScotGov scheme will place them all on full-time salaries. 

More to follow.


 

£5.4 Million Pay Rise For Local Councillors (March 06, 2024)

Scottish council tax payers face the prospect of paying more for fewer, poorer and dearer council services in 2024, yet the SNP is proposing a massive 22% pay increase for local councillors.

Backbench councillors, ie those without additional council wide responsibilities, are currently paid a salary of £20,099 a year - which is assessed as a part-time (two-thirds of full-time) salary.

But after a hasty salary review and with scant evidence to justify such a move Humza Yousaf is planning to award all backbench councillors a new salary of £24,581 - despite the fact that many of these councillors also have other jobs.

I imagine this will not impress hard-pressed council tax payers or indeed other council employees who are being offered far less generous pay increases.  

The new pay package will cost council tax payers an extra £5,407,028 a year and is being justified on the basis that a big pay rise is needed to attract more women, disabled and younger people into standing for election as councillors.

Which is a load of old baloney - of course.  

Read what Team Yousaf is planning in the following ScotGov report on councillors' remuneration:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/recommendations-councillors-remuneration-expenses/

More to follow.

 

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