Shropshire town councillors 'should be paid'

A Shropshire councillor has called for town councillors to be paid for the work they do, just as unitary councillors are.

Councillor Jennifer Leyton-Purrier was recently elected to represent the Gallows Bank ward in Ludlow on Ludlow Town Council. She said: "It has been raised in a private capacity. I have been liaising with the town clerk. Councillors can't get expenses for phone calls."

Councillor Leyton-Purrier said she had not suggested any figure for councillors' wages but said: "The unitary councillors do get paid for being a councillor, at present there doesn't appear to be any provision for town councils."

She said: "I have more than 2,000 in my electorate, you can imagine the phone bills. I don't see why town councillors should be discriminated against."

She said a lot more work would be expected to be done by town councillors and she did not see why they should not get renumeration for that work.

She added: "There should be some sort of attendance allowance."

Councillor John Aitken, the Mayor of Ludlow, said: "It's being discussed at the policy and finance committee next week. The town clerk has provided the legal background.

"We would have to go through considerable legal processes to even consider it. The first starts with other councillors wanting it.

"The mayor said Ludlow was classed on the same level legally as a parish council and that meant they did not receive payment for their work."

He said Shrewsbury town councillors received £1,000 a year, with appropriate tax and social security deductions.

He added: "When councillors came into it, they knew it would be voluntary, we reimburse expenses for mileage and training costs and with phone calls, we have said people can use the council office phones."

Councillor Leyton-Purrier said £1,000 seemed like a good starting point, but it needed considering by a professional renumeration panel.

The matter will be discussed on Monday at a meeting of the town council's policy and finance committee at 7pm in the Stable Block, Corve Street in Ludlow.

By Hannah Costigan