Westminster councillors get above average cash allowances, new figures reveal

10.53.45pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 13th Jun 2009

LibDems want to cut councillors' allowances - and save local taxpayers £1 million over four years

The allowances paid to Westminster councillors last year were above the London and national averages, according to new figures published by the Local Government Association (LGA).

The LGA's 'Members' Allowances Survey 2008', published this week, reveal that the average basic allowance for a councillor in England is £6,099. The London average is £9,739. Westminster councillors voted themselves a £10,250 annual allowance last year, above the national and London figures.

The survey also finds that the average 'special responsibility allowance' paid to council leaders in England is £17,753. The average for London was much higher, at £37,486. In Westminster however the council leader gets £42,000. Again, this is higher than either the national or London averages.

In light of the revelation, Mark Blackburn, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Westminster North, reiterated his call for "deep cuts" in councillors' allowances locally.

He said, "Westminster is small with excellent public transport links. Getting around is not expensive for councillors here, and so I think that the allowances can be cut back without damaging the ability of a person to be a good councillor.

"I want to see deep cuts to all the allowances paid to councillors here in Westminster to the level they were at in 2006, and then frozen. That will save a million pounds over four years, which is enough to shave £2 off the Council Tax."