HL Deb 14 June 1994 vol 555 cc91-2WA
Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What changes they propose to make to the councillors' allowances system in the light of the recommendations of the Joint Working Party on Internal Management of Local Government in England.

The Earl of Arran

The Government have accepted the recommendation of the Working Party on the Internal Management of Local Government that local authorities should have much greater discretion in deciding how much councillors should be paid in allowances. We agree with the working party that the present system is too prescriptive and that it places an unnecessary bureaucratic burden on local authorities. The changes we are proposing to make will remove that burden and will encourage people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to serve as councillors. Removing the ceiling on the allowance leading councillors can be paid will allow local authorities to give more adequate remuneration to those councillors with special responsibilities. There will be no overall increase in public expenditure as a consequence of these changes.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has today written to those who chair the local authority associations seeking their views on the proposals we are making. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Copies of the letter to the associations have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.