Council cabinet deputies could get cash allowances
BBCSome of a council's deputy cabinet members could get paid a cash allowance as the posts return two years after being scrapped.
Sunderland City Council's leading Reform UK party said the proposals would come with "a small additional cost", put at a total of £12,429 per year.
Liberal Democrat opposition leader Paul Edgeworth criticised the move and said local people would be "shocked".
But a spokesperson for the Reform group in the city defended the decision, saying it would enable the administration to be "more proactive, responsive, and effective for Wearside residents", and would cost less than what a single deputy used to get when Labour used the roles in the past.
The posts were removed by the Labour administration in 2024.
According to council documents, the annual special responsibility allowance (SRA) for a deputy cabinet member at the time was £12,556, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
A spokesperson for the Reform group said no other costs would be incurred beyond the proposed SRA.
PA MediaThere is no provision for SRAs to be paid to deputy cabinet members under the council's current Members' Allowances Scheme.
Any proposal to amend it would need to be considered by the Independent Remuneration Panel, which would then make recommendations to the council.
A Reform spokesperson said under the plans, deputies would get £4,143.20 per year each.
Currently only three of the seven deputies would be entitled to SRAs as the rest also take on other roles where the allowance is already in place - such as committee chairs or vice-chairs.
"We will not be increasing any allowances or SRAs," the spokesperson added.
But opposition leader Edgeworth said the city was getting "more of the same".
"Local people will be shocked that despite promises of getting wasteful spending under control, the first thing a Reform UK council has done is to act like continuity Labour by increasing the amount of taxpayer cash they are giving themselves," the Lib Dem councillor said.
"People in Sunderland wanted to see an end to Labour's 'jobs for the boys' culture where taxpayers' money was used to give ruling councillors plum jobs and extra cash to try and keep them in line.
"Instead it seems we are getting more of the same, with Labour and Reform in Sunderland like two peas in a pod."
Reform said the change would provide cabinet members with additional support in key areas, with each deputy bringing "relevant real-world experience, practical knowledge, and a skill set that matches the area they support".
"This is not about creating titles for the sake of it, it is about adding capacity where it is needed, making better use of the talent available in the group, and ensuring that the council has the recourse to deliver for residents over the next four years," a spokesperson added.
What is a special responsibility allowance?
While every councillor is entitled to a basic allowance, those who hold specific posts with additional workloads can also get a special responsibility allowance.
These roles typically include the council leader and deputy leader, cabinet members with portfolio, the mayor and deputy mayor. Committee chairs and some vice-chairs also receive the cash, as well as opposition leaders.
Councillors cannot get more than one SRA, even if they hold multiple positions.
The allowances are taxed and are meant help ensure representatives are compensated for the time devoted to council business.
