Plans for 5 per cent increase in Broxtowe councillors' allowances

If the move is accepted, it would cost the council £14,387 per year from 2023/24.

It means the basic allowance for councillors would rise from £3,921 to £4,117, while the council leader – currently Labour’s Coun Milan Radulovic, member for Eastwood Hill Top – would see their special responsbility allowance rise to £14,921, instead of the current £14,210.

It comes as the council plans a council tax rise of almost 3 per cent for all homes in borough.

The council, a coalition of Liberal Democrats, Independents and Labour, will decide on the allowances at its full council meeting this week.

Elected councillors are provided with taxpayer-funded allowances to reimburse them for their time, rather than salaries.

Councillors with extra responsibilities including cabinet members, chairs and vice-chairs and the mayor and vice mayor can get more than the basic allowance to help them carry out their roles.

In many authorities basic allowances are not meant to provide a full-time salary equivalent, meaning many councillors often hold other jobs, especially those without special responsibilities.

Councillors can choose not to take the allowance or raises.

An independent remuneration panel was set up at Broxtowe Council in 2003 to make recommendations to the council about the level of members’ allowances to be paid.

A report published in January 2023 noted an increase of 5 per cent for employees had been set aside in the budget and it was agreed councillors be awarded the same.

Conservative-run Nottinghamshire Council approved a 4 per cent rise in allowances for its members in November.