§ Mr. HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to the councillor's allowances system in the light of the recommendations of the joint working party on internal management of local government in England; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryThe 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 that we propose 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 that 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.
I have today written to those who chair the local authority associations seeking their views on the proposals that we are making. Copies of my letter to the associations have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.