Bromley Tories want to cut Lib Dem leader’s allowance

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A council has revealed plans to stop paying the allowance for the leader of its third largest party.

Bromley council’s ruling Conservative Group wants to cancel the £4,667 annual payment to the leader of the Lib Dems party.

The proposal comes as part of the annual allowances planned for members of Bromley council for the upcoming financial year.

Councillors are not usually paid a salary but receive an annual allowance which reimburses them for their time.

Those with extra responsibilities, including council leaders and portfolio holders, are also eligible for an additional payments.

Currently there are 24 positions at at Bromley council which currently pay an extra allowance payment, including the leaders of its two largest opposition parties.

Council officers in their report suggested increasing allowances for elected members by 7.75 per cent for the year ahead.  It comes after allowances were frozen from 2009 to 2019 due to budget pressures.

But despite officers’ suggestions, the ruling Bromley Conservative Group wants to remove the allowance for the third largest party to increase the proposed payment for the leader of the largest opposition party, currently the Labour Group, from £9,333 to £15,000.

They also propose to increase the allowance for the deputy leader of the council to £28,000, instead of the suggested £23,037.

Lib Dem Leader Julie Ireland has angrily attacked the plan, which she labelled a “petty and spiteful attack” on the party.

She said in a statement: “Since we were elected in May we have been vocal in opposition. We’ve spoken up against many unfair and authoritarian decisions taken by the council, worked hard on the various committees as well as being active in our communities with regular in-person advice surgeries – all very different from the behaviour of most of the Conservative group.“

On her allowance being reduced, Cllr Ireland said: “It’s a blatant attack on our democracy – but in many ways I take it as a compliment. Our work is making them very uncomfortable; they are having to work much harder than they used to, and clearly they see us as a threat to their future electoral chances in Bromley.”

In the statement, the Lib Dems said the allowance had been paid for “at least the last 20 years”. The group also referred to its “vocal” opposition of Conservative decisions, such as the sale of council-owned buildings.

The allowances for members of Bromley council for the upcoming financial year will be discussed at a general purposes and licensing committee meeting today.

Bromley Conservative Group was approached for comment.

Bromley council was also approached for comment, but had not responded at the time of publication.

Pictured top: Bromley Civic Centre, where Bromley council’s headquarters are currently based (Picture: Google Earth)