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Boston Borough Council leader Anne Dorrian defends decision to increase councillor allowances




The leader of Boston Borough Council has defended the decision to increase councillor allowances.

During a meeting last Monday, members voted in favour of the rise, which will come into effect on Tuesday April 1, and will be backdated to include the current financial year.

Councillor Anne Dorrian (Independent), leader of the council, originally proposed increasing basic allowances to £6,500 for the 2025-26 financial year, with those holding special responsibilities receiving additional funds.

Boston Borough Council leader Coun Anne Dorrian
Boston Borough Council leader Coun Anne Dorrian

However, an amendment circulated by Councillor Stephen Woodliffe (Independent) proposed that the basic allowance be set at £7,000 instead.

Under the new allowances, Councillor Dorrian will receive a 49% increase to £25,000, plus the basic allowance.

Deputy leader Dale Broughton will receive a 49% increase to £12,500, plus the basic allowance, while other cabinet members will receive a 43% rise to £10,000, plus the basic allowance.

"The work of a councillor is both time-consuming and complex," said Coun Dorrian.

Boston Borough Council leader Anne Dorrian
Boston Borough Council leader Anne Dorrian

"The Independent Remuneration Panel recognised that on average, councillors spend 22 hours per week on council business, with some councillors like myself, cabinet members and committee chairs dedicating significantly more time, depending on our respective roles and responsibilities. Speaking personally, my working week averages between 50-60 hours per week throughout the year.

“Our duties also vary enormously and we spend time attending council meetings, engaging with residents, and participating in various committees and working groups.

"Councillors are also tasked with making decisions on critical issues that really do impact on people's lives. These decisions require careful consideration; balancing limited resources against the diverse needs of the community. The complexity and significance of these decisions cannot be overstated, as they directly affect the well-being and prosperity of our residents and our local areas.

"For example, these decisions include ensuring that taxi drivers are properly licensed to be able to take your children safely to and from school, and keeping people safe from harm by ensuring businesses selling or preparing food have good hygiene stopping.

"Most recently, after the South Forty Foot flooded, it was councillors who acted swiftly to authorise the allocation of the Flood Relief Fund and to ensure that residents didn't have to complete lots of complicated forms in order to apply for it.

"Staying with finance, it was also councillors who took urgent action which resulted in the council saving over £6 million and, for a council like ours, that is a hugely significant saving.

“It is important to note the basic allowance is not a wage or salary. For someone choosing to stand as a councillor, they are volunteering their time, skills and expertise to serve their community and the report recognises that approximately one third of our time is given on a voluntary basis and shouldn't be compensated, however, there's no getting away from the fact that the demand on councillors is far greater than ever before.

“Allowances are to ensure an average working person would not be financially disadvantaged from standing for election and taking on positions which attract additional responsibility. The basic allowance for members in Boston is currently lower than others in the county and it has been for many years.

"The panel considered a good deal of evidence during the review, including comparing us to other Lincolnshire and regional councils, and by studying councillor questionnaires. It’s never easy having to set your own allowances and with Local Government Reorganisation around the corner, I think it’s about time that government used their discretion to set up a national scheme, just like the Welsh have. I believe that the decision made by Council is fair and sits more in line with the allowances being paid to councillors in our neighbouring districts."

The issue of councillor allowances was raised last May when Boston Borough Council was found to have the lowest basic allowance among the seven district councils in Lincolnshire.

At the time, Councillor Ralph Pryke highlighted that his current compensation was below the national minimum wage.

Councillor Dorrian added that providing 'adequate' allowances is important for encouraging diversity and inclusion, recognising the scope of responsibilities, ensuring effective governance and removing financial barriers.

She added: “Providing adequate allowances to councillors is not merely a matter of fairness but a fundamental component of a healthy and effective local democracy. It ensures that we have a diverse, committed, and capable group of individuals leading our communities, making informed decisions that enhance the quality of life for all residents.”

Meanwhile, the authority is currently considering a council tax increase of £7.56 for a band D property in 2025/26, which would generate an additional £150,800.

Similar to its partnership counterpart, South Holland District Council, Boston Borough Council is also facing significant pressures from the Internal Drainage Board (IDB) levy, impacted by rising power costs and other inflationary factors.

The financial impact from 2021/22 to 2025/26 has now reached £980,000 annually, with no funding other than one-off grant allocations of £431,000 in 2024/25 and £318,890 in 2023/24 to go towards covering this increase.



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