Council expenses look set to rise

District councillors look set to get an increase in the amount of money they receive.

The role is not paid, but members can claim allowances set by an independent panel which has recommended an increase this year, the first in four years.
The basic annual allowance of £6,255, and leader’s special responsibility of £20,140 is to be increased by three per cent in line with the cost of living pay increase the authority is providing its staff.
The panel decided against bigger increases as the current amounts were ‘higher than most other authorities’.
By comparison, the leaders of South Holland’s partner councils Boston and East Lindsey can claim just over £14,000 in the financial year.
The district council now has two deputy leaders currently who are also portfolio holders, and the panel said they shouldn’t claim expenses for both.
It argued the payment for those in the role should be £15,500 where previously a deputy leader could claim £11,884 and the £5,942 for being a portfolio holder.
The fee for a portfolio holder is to increase to £7,500.
Other rises include the chair of the planning committee allowance being increased to £6,000, up from £4,028, and the vice chair to £3,000 from £2,476.
The leader of the main opposition will see their allowance increase by just £58 to £6,000 but they will also now be able to claim a maximum of £1,000 special responsibility allowance (SRA).
All political group leaders also get £500 while co-opted independent members of the governance and audit committee can claim £560.
The panel also ruled that there should not be payments to the directors of the Public Sector Partnership Service (PSPS) Ltd, an administration company the council jointly owns with East Lindsey District Council as had occurred before.
The report to the council stated: “The panel concluded that in principle it was not minded to support remuneration for directorships, and felt that this was for the company(s) to remunerate.
“This would mean there was a consistent approach across the partnership in relation to remuneration for directors.”
The council says the increases will cost it £12,000 a year more.
All of the rises are subject to South Holland District Council passing them when it meets tonight (Thursday February 29).
Councillors can also claim expenses on mileage, though not all do.
Collectively in the 2022/23 financial year the 39 councillors during that period claimed £10,328 between them.