§ Baroness Gardner of Parkesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they monitor the allowances now paid to local councillors; and whether there is a variation in the amounts paid by the different London Boroughs. [HL3784]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty)We do not monitor the allowances paid to elected members by individual local authorities, which are required annually to publish details of their scheme of allowances and the amounts of each type of allowance paid to each member.
§ Baroness Gardner of Parkesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the additional financial cost of the new higher rates of council allowances paid to elected councillors by councils operating a "cabinet system" will be met by the Government in extra Standard Spending Assessment, or whether the cost will fall on the council tax payers. [HL3783]
§ Lord WhittyIt is for each individual council to decide the level of its members' allowances having regard to the resources available to it.