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Council approves allowance rise and £600 boost for all members despite debate

By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

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Broxtowe Borough Councillors will now get an extra £600 each on top of a rise in their basic allowances – although some said they plan to give the money away.

Broxtowe Borough Council met yesterday (February 5) in a full council meeting to discuss the authority’s pay and budget for the financial year, which starts in April.

Councillors’ basic allowance rate in Broxtowe currently stands at £4,019 for the year but the authority proposed a three per cent uplift for 2025/26, bringing this up to £4,140, after hearing the rates are among the lowest in the county.

The rise also applies to ‘special responsibility allowances’ – given to councillors who hold more senior positions on top of the basic allowances.

For example, when combining the current basic allowance and the leader’s current special responsibility allowance of £14,565, the Leader of the Council currently gets £18,584.

The three per cent up uplift in allowances means the Leader will get £19,142 from the 2025/26 year.

But the meeting also debated a proposed £600 amount on top of councillors’ basic allowance, which would bring all councillor’s basic fees to £4,740 for the a year when combining the uplift and £600 increase.

An Independent Remuneration Panel reviewed councillor allowances in September 2024, with yesterday’s meeting papers stating: “It was noted that this council’s allowances were the lowest [in the county] by a substantial margin. To bring allowances into line with the next lowest-paid authority, it was proposed that £600 be added to the basic allowance.”

Councillor Philip Owen, Leader of the Conservative Group at the council, said: “We thought this was not an appropriate time to be accepting a pay increase. I think it would send out clearly the wrong message- we will not support it.

“There continues to be difficulties for many people and to ask them to dip into their pockets further to put into our pockets we felt is inappropriate.”

He added that the Conservative Group were prepared to not accept the rise if it was voted through.

Cllr Radulovic (Brox Alliance) said: “The question we ask people is if there’s an Independent Remuneration Panel, what’s the point if all they do is give you advice and you don’t accept it?”

Cllr Radulovic said he has campaigned for many years for a national rate for councillor allowances, but the lack of this has led to “anomalies”.

He said: “There’s people sitting in this council chamber tonight at another authority pulling £14,000 to £15,000 a year but are happy to quote a 10 per cent increase in member’s basic allowance.

“Broxtowe allowances are incredibly low, always have been. The panel has recommended we address that anomaly and while I do respect your difference of opinion, I don’t necessarily agree with it, I think it’s wrong.

“There are many people in this authority who do work incredibly hard. It’s not a salary, except when it comes to taxation- it’s treated as income.

“If people wish to be personally excluded that’s their choice and I respect that.”

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service following the meeting, Cllr Peter Bales, Leader of the Labour Group at the authority, said: “We would be happy to not accept it or accept to donate it to local charities to help people, which is what the money should be there for.”

Voting for the three per cent uplift was unanimous.

The £600 increase on top of the basic allowance was carried but was rejected by all Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors in the room.

The proposal for an extra £900 to be given to the role of Deputy Portfolio holder was carried but was also rejected by all Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors in the room.