MEMBERS of Lichfield District Council have backed proposals to increase their allowances.
An independent remuneration panel had put forward a recommendation that the basic amount received by councillors would rise from £4,214 to £5,067 a year.
Those carrying out “special responsibilities” would also see changes to the additional allowance they receive too.
| Role | 2024 allowance | 2025-26 proposal |
| Basic allowance | £4,214 | £5,067 |
| Leader | £12,641 | £15,201 |
| Deputy leader | £7,585 | £9,121 (payment currently for deputy leader/cabinet member shared role) |
| Cabinet members | £6,952 | £8,361 |
| Planning committee chair | £6,320 | £7,089 |
| Planning committee vice-chair | £1,589 | £1,772 |
| Regulatory and licensing committee chair | £2,529 | £3,800 |
| Regulatory and licensing vice-chair | £632 | £760 |
| Overview and scrutiny committee chair | £2,529 | £5,067 |
| Overview and scrutiny committee vice-chair | £632 | £1,013 |
| Audit committee chair | (£1,589 payment of previously for chair role on audit and member standards committee) | £3,040 |
| Audit committee vice-chair | (£632 payment previously for vice-chair role on audit and member standards committee) | £608 |
| Standards committee chair | (£1,589 payment of previously for chair role on audit and member standards committee) | £1,520 |
| Standards committee vice-chair | (£632 payment previously for vice-chair role on audit and member standards committee) | £304 |
| Chair of council | £2,885 | £3,800 |
| Vice-chair of council | £721 | £760 |
| Employment committee chair | £1,589 | £1,520 |
| Employment committee vice-chair | £632 | £304 |
| Principal opposition group leader | £2,885 (principal minority group leader) | £4,560 |
| Principal opposition group deputy leader | £721 (principal minority group deputy leader | £912 |
| Shadow cabinet members | N/A | £684 |
| Leader of minority opposition group (minimum five members) | N/A | £760 |
Cllr Derick Cross, independent member for Alrewas and Fradley, was among those to welcome the recommendations in a report to a meeting of the district council this week.
He said:
“I have fought and argued for last six years for this to go to an independent panel to look at it for us – we should approve it and move on.”
Cllr Thomas Marshall, Conservative member for Armitage with Handsacre, paid tribute to the panel who had put together the report:
“I was once involved with this process about four years ago and I was struck by just how involved a process it is and how many man hours go into it .
“I think we only have to look at the report to realise that these three people have worked assiduously.
“We should be extremely grateful for their diligence and their determination to come to a conclusion.
“It’s been a while since we’ve taken the advice of the panel and I’m glad we’ve given them the recognition that they deserve.”
