It looks like the council tax is likely to be increased by 1.99%, the maximum allowed without having to put it to the electorate, but then there's the budget, which looks as if it's going to be dire. Somewhere in all of thi,s there will also have to be an announcement on the expected rise in councillor allowances together with the allowances paid for special responsibilities under the new committee system and the Leader of the Council.
There are no local elections in 2013, but would anyone like to guess when that announcement on allowances is likely to take place? Is someone currently praying for 'a good day to bury bad news'. I suspect that it will be put off as long as possible but then how can you publish a budget that doesn't declare how much HBC expects to spend on allowances in 2013/14?
Am I to understand that ALL Councillor's allowances rise will be paid from May 2012 ?
Reducing the number of councillors to 33 from 48 will no doubt save monies but my gut reaction is that a rise of £2.500 will be made in the allowances of the present encumBENT lot. Sorry touched the cap's key!
They can still say that they have saved money but very nicely lined their own pocket's in doing so.
The allowances coming from the change to a committee system can't be brought in until May but I did hear that the original review into 'ordinary' councillor allowances would be back-dated to when the review started - which was around last spring, I think.
That might have been the original plan, but I can't see anyone being brave enough to suggest it now. As I said, timing is everything.