Mid and East Antrim: proposed £400 allowance increase for councillors put on hold
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has deferred acceptance of a pay rise.
Councillors agreed at a meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, last week, to put an increase on hold.
Carrick Castle Alliance Councillor Lauren Gray proposed deferring a decision when elected members were asked to make a decision.
She said the Communities Minister has indicated he intends removing this decision from councillors. “In that spirit, I think we should leave the decision up to him,” she stated.
Bannside Sinn Fein Cllr Ian Friary seconded Cllr Gray’s proposal and it was agreed by councillors.
The Department for Communities (DfC) has allowed an increase in the basic councillor’s allowance from £17,030 to £17,456 per annum backdated to April 2024.
In addition to the basic allowance, a payment of £1,000 per month is payable to Mid and East Antrim’s mayor. The deputy mayor receives a payment £650 per month.
A special responsibility allowance is paid tor committee chairs who receive £500 monthly and vice-chairs, £300. Partnership panel representatives receive £357 per meeting and group party leaders, £40 monthly.
Rates of travel allowance for travel by private vehicle are 65 pence per mile, 45 pence per mile for an electric car. An overnight allowance of £100.70 in the UK, £122.45, in London; breakfast allowance, £11.50; lunch, £13.50; evening meal, £20.50 and tea allowance of £4.70 are available.
An increase in dependants’ carers’ allowance from £11.44 per hour to £12.21 will be applicable from April.
A review of the roles and responsibilities of councillors in Northern Ireland took place during a six-month period last year by a working group.
Recommendations are to be presented to the DfC on the system and level of a range of allowances available to councillors taking into consideration the role and responsibilities of councillors and payments in other parts of the UK and Ireland.
These will include basic and special responsibility allowances, chair and vice-chair allowances and dependants’ and carers’ allowance.
The DfC’s scheme of allowances to councillors is made under the Local Government Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter