Cllrs receive one and a quarter million in allowances and expenses in last four years.

Folkestone & Hythe District Council has thirty councillors. As councilors they receive an allowance – plus expenses. They do not receive a wage. All payments made to Cllrs are gross amounts which are subject to deduction of tax where appropriate.

A councillor is treated as a trustee of council assets, with a fiduciary duty to apply those assets in the public interest. Each Cllr regardless of belonging to any party, or not, is tied to this fiduciary duty by law. As such they are legally bound to act in  the best financial interest of ratepayers.

In 2022/23, for the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, according to the Council’s published data, Cllrs received the sum total (gross) of £340,101.

Once again Cllr Gary Fuller (Lib Dem) (pictured below left) claimed the least amount in allowances and expenses. Cllr David Monk, claimed the most as he was leader of the Council.

 

The allowances & expenses Cllrs may claim are broken down as follows:

Basic Allowance recognises the time devoted by all Cllrs to their work, including meetings of the Council,
Cabinet, committees and sub-committees, representation of the Council on outside bodies, meetings with constituents and all incidental costs;
Special Responsibility Allowances recognise the time devoted by those Cllrs who have significant extra responsibilities (eg leadership of the Council and of political groups, membership of the Cabinet and chairmanship of committees), but also reflect an element of voluntary public service.

The laws which underpin the allowances and expenses to be paid are by virtue of Section 18 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 Act, as amended, which makes provision in relation to basic, special responsibility and childcare and dependants’ carers’ allowances for members of local authorities. And by virtue of Section 100 of the Local Government Act 2000 Act allows for the provision in relation to travel and subsistence allowance for members of local authorities.

Between 1 April 2019 – 31 March 2023, Cllrs have received £1,253,570 in allowances and expenses. As one can see in the chart below, Cllr Monk (Con) earned 455% more than Cllr Gary Fuller (Lib Dem) over the four years each of them were in office. 

Before we end though, we’d like to remind you of the almighty cock up in 2021/22, when Dr Susan Priest (pictured) had to issue the allowances and expenses, not once, but twice. 

Given each Cllr is treated as a trustee of council assets, with a fiduciary duty to apply those assets in the public interest, have each of them abided by their fiduciary duty, given the number of financial irregularities and contract irregularities we have repeatedly reported on?

While many are struggling through a cost of living crisis and Cllrs have allowed money to be wasted on contracts, Princes Parade and other matters, are they value for money?

We’ll leave you to make your mind up on that.

The Shepway Vox Team

The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness