COUNCILLORS have turned down pay rises of nearly £2,600 a year.
An independent panel set up to scrutinise the amounts City of York Council’s 47 councillors receive recommended their annual basic pay should be increased from £7,192.50 to £9,777.28.
But the proposals – which would have cost an additional £173,870 a year – were voted out after councillors said a backdrop of cuts and wage freezes for council staff, as well as the need to save £19.7m over two years, meant they could not top up their own pay.
Council leader Councillor James Alexander said: “Most of the country is in a difficult financial situation. It is the wrong time to take an increase in allowances – as councillors, we have to set an example.”
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