In the next few weeks you will no doubt receive endless Kent County Council election leaflets from all the Political Parties. 81 Councillors will be elected across 72 electoral divisions on Thursday May 4 th 2017. The previous election took place in 2013.
Kent County Council is currently controlled by the Conservative group and the political composition is:
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47 Conservative Councillors
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15 UKIP Councillors
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12 Labour Councillors
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7 Liberal Democrat Councillors
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2 Independents Group
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1 Independents
Since May 2013 through to Jan 2017 all Kent County Council Cllrs (there have been a few by elections) have cost the Kent Taxpayer £6,632,951.
In Feb 2017 KCC Cllrs voted to raise their share on your Council tax bill by 4% for 2017/18.
So we have put together a chart showing who has earned what over their four years. All councillors receive a basic allowance £12,805. Some elected members receive an additional allowance for any special responsibility that they might have as a member of the council, such as being a Cabinet Member or a committee chairman.
Elected members are allowed to claim travelling expenses & allowances for their official duties at the rates set by HMRC for business travel. Currently these rates are 45p for the first 10,000miles and 25p per mile thereafter.
Just like any other salary all allowances are subject to tax and national insurance and elected members have no other provision to claim from the council, other than mileage.
We have singled out just one KCC member who is a Shepway District Council Cllr as well, as is Cllr Frank McKenna, but he it appears is aginst the Lorry Park, is against Otterpool Park and against building on Princes Parade unlike Cllr Susan Carey. These are her expenses and allowances for the last four years.
We understand that Cllr Carey along is standing for re-election.
Have KCC Cllrs been value for money? Well that’s for you to decide come Thursday May 4th 2017.
Shepwayvox