Councillor Allowances - 2018

In December 2017, there was much outrage in Norfolk as Conservative members of Norfolk County Council voted to increase their own allowances by 10.5% against the recommendation of the independent renumeration panel. The panel exists purely to review Councillor allowances and after reviewing the situation, they recommended no increase, a recommendation which was ignored.

As if that actual increase wasn't controversial enough, the increase was backdated some 7 months so all Councillors received two pay packets in January 2018 - one with their normal monthly payment and the second with the backdated amount - near £700 alone for most of the 84 Councillors - those with special responsibilities received more. In total, the decision cost Norfolk taxpayers an additional £140,000 - and of course there would be additional costs year after year.

Like all Norfolk Labour Councillors, I voted against the increase. Sure the extra money would be great, but at a time when the Council is cutting services for some of the most vulnerable in our communities I couldn't vote for such an increase - it felt wrong.

It also felt wrong for us to be voting for our own pay packet and if we had to do this, surely we'd just note and accept the views of the panel? if you don't, you might as well scrap the panel?!

Labour Councillors vowed to not benefit personally from the decision but instead, we would make the money available for our communities. In Thetford I specifically wanted to use the money to help organisations and people that have been impacted by austerity. Through 2018, I have received an extra £1,498.90 (after tax). I've just made my final allocation of funds for 2018 and every penny has been allocated to local good causes.

Here's what I spent the money on this year:

Citizens Advice Bureau - I gave the full backdated amount of £685.01 to the local CAB way back in January 2018. With Gift Aid they will be able to claim an additional £171.25. The CAB have seen significant increases in demand thanks to Council cuts and welfare changes but many forget the CAB is a charity in its own right and very poorly funded.

In February I used £35 to purchase gift vouchers for Bishops School on the Abbey Estate to run a colouring competition with the school children.They helped design new speed awareness signs erected on the Estate to try and slow down cars passing the school gates. My separate NCC Councillor budget for highways was used to purchase and erect the new signs.

In March I used £25 to support the new Norwich Mustard campaign following news that Colmans Mustard may be leaving the county and Norwich Mustard crowdfunding to get a new community initiative off the ground.

In June I used £95 to support a vulnerable resident on St John's Way impacted by the bedroom tax and forced to leave her family home. Myself and other Councillors and members of the community decorated her new home with the money being used for paint and other essentials. Thetford Carpet Warehouse helped provide discounted new carpet for the property. Volunteers assisted with moving furniture etc. I separately lobbied Flagship Housing on behalf of the resident and secured a meeting with a member of the senior management team to highlight their failings as an organisation and suggest ways to improve in the future.

Also in June there was a donation of £50 to Leaping Hare who provide community and tourist information services locally but yet receive no regular core funding.

In July there was £20 donated to Thetford Foodbank to help prepare for an expected increase in demand linked to Universal Credit.

£36.25 was donated to Charles Burrell Centre in September.

In December I donated £161.03 worth of items to the Thetford Evening and Night Shelter project led by the Salvation Army and other local Churches. The shelter was set up to provide somewhere for homeless people to stay over the Christmas period. Item donated included; Toiletries, cooking equipment and clothing.

In December I purchased £136 worth of items to be used as raffle prizes for local charitable events, so that groups can use the items to earn more money for themselves. The first prizes will be used on New Year's Eve to raise money for the Charles Burrell Centre.

£179 has been allocated to fund publicity materials to help combat fly-tipping in Thetford - this is a major concern for local residents - not helped by Conservative Councillors at Norfolk implementing new charges for DIY waste without any publicity about what the new charges are etc. Our Thetford campaign will seek to address this in the new year.

Lastly, £76.61 to Croxton Road Community Association - they've been fundraising for some time to build a new play-park on the Ladies Estate at Harriet Martineau Close and it is hoped at some point in 2019 the go ahead will be given to start building.

Total: £1,498.00 (not including gift aid + amounts raised through facilitated fundraising)