The allowance paid to the leader of City of Wolverhampton Council is set to increase by more than £1,100 this year. Councillor Stephen Simkins, leader of the Labour-run council, will receive an additional £33,500 as a special responsibility allowance for holding the role, while the leader of the council’s main opposition group, Reform Councillor Celia Hibbert, will receive £15,000, up from £14,364.
Rationale Behind the Increases
The increases were deemed necessary to reflect the challenging work of the leader and the important role the opposition leader plays in holding the administration to account. Each of the local authority’s 60 councillors is given a £13,340 basic allowance each year. The council’s leader and opposition leaders are paid an extra allowance, while cabinet members receive £17,958. Further allowances are given to chairs and vice chairs of committees, as well as the mayor and deputy mayor, on top of the basic allowance.
Deputy leader Councillor Steve Evans receives £23,940, with the allowance set to remain the same.
Independent Remuneration Panel Recommendations
The changes were made based on recommendations by the independent remuneration panel (IRP), the body tasked with determining how much councillors in Wolverhampton are paid, and approved following a vote at the council’s annual meeting on Wednesday, May 20. The panel had recommended cutting allowances for committee chairs, including key scrutiny, planning, and audit committees, but these were ruled out. The opposition leader’s allowance was also increased despite no recommendation to do so.
Under the recommendations, the chair of the council’s planning committee would have seen their allowance cut from £13,167 to £12,000, and the allowance for chairing the scrutiny committee would have fallen from £11,970 to £11,500. The chairs of the pension and the governance and ethics committees would have also seen the allowance cut from £11,970 to £11,500.
Concerns Over Accessibility
At the meeting, Councillor Jeszemma Howl, cabinet member for governance and digital, said reducing the amount councillors were compensated for holding important roles could prevent many from putting themselves forward. A report on councillor allowances presented by Councillor Howl stated: “Wider issues were raised about the impact of current allowance levels on the accessibility of councillor roles, particularly for those in employment, with caring responsibilities, or without independent income. Councillors highlighted they may incur financial detriment through unpaid leave, use of annual leave, or other personal costs in carrying out their duties. The importance of maintaining a diverse and representative council was important in securing fair representation of the city.”
