A heated dispute between Labour and Tory Hillingdon councillors in Uxbridge
Photo taken from Google Images
Hillingdon councillors approve an ‘award’ increase to their allowances, after a heated dispute between Labour and Tory councillors in the annual budget meeting last Thursday.
Hillingdon Councillors have voted to raise their allowances, despite Labour members claiming an increase in allowances for ‘privileged’ cabinet members would be ‘wrong.’
Councillor Raymond Puddifoot, the Conservative leader of the Council, motioned that a basic allowance of £10,891 should be paid to all councillors for April 1 2016.
Councillor Tony Eginton of Barnhill, Labour who opposed the rise in allowances proposed an amendment, to reduce special allowances for cabinet member’s by 20%, and that any increase shall be “gifted to the Mayor’s charity.”
Labour suggested that a rise in basic or special allowance would be ‘wrong’ as there are many struggling residents in the Hillingdon borough.
Cllr Eginton claimed they were paid double the amount as some adjoining boroughs. He said: “Many families in Hillingdon are struggling and many will not receive any increase in their wages in the forthcoming year.
The Hillingdon council’s annual budget meeting became heated last Tuesday, as Tory Cllr Puddifoot described his political opponents proposition as “ridiculous” and to “move” Cllr Eginton’s amendment so “we could move on.”
Councillor Jazz Dhillon of Pinkwell, Labour seconded Cllr Eginton’s amendment and said it would be wrong to reward themselves with an increase in allowances, when settlement changes affect the most vulnerable in the borough.
Cllr Dhillon said: “I believe we are in a privileged position and contributing any increase in the Mayor’s charity demonstrates for our community, that we put our residents’ first.”
Opposing party Cllr Puddifoot shot back: “Every councillor has the ability at any time to write to the corporate director of finance to waive any proposed increase or reduction of up to 100% of the allowance entitlement.”
The amendment was lost, and Hillingdon councillors will not take any reduction to their allowances.
Amongst other items discussed in the annual budget meeting on February 25, councillors voted for no increase on council tax for the coming year 2016/17.