Paycut for Walsall councillors

Councillors in Walsall are to take a pay-cut in a bid to save the cash-strapped authority almost £100,000 a year, it has emerged.

The now controlling Labour party is planning to get rid of the increased special responsibility allowances that were introduced last year.

The cut will apply to the council leader Sean Coughlan, the deputy and members of the decision-making cabinet.

It will also see chairs of statutory committees such as scrutiny meetings get a cut in the allowances they receive.

An increase was controversially introduced by the council in 2013 after being voted through by the Conservatives.

Council leader, councillor Coughlan, is due to see his special responsibility allowance fall from £26,850 to £23,582.

He says the cash saved will go towards protecting other council services.

Councillor Coughlan said: "Our view is while you are reducing budgets in areas, you are reducing staff and expect them to do more, it is only right.

"We always said that when you are asking staff to do more for less then it is only right that as councillors, we do the same."

He added that a report will now be produced to full council next month where a new policy for pay would be put forward for formal approval.

Bosses at the time of the rise said the recommendations were forward by an independent panel following a review.

The change in stance comes after the Labour wrestled back control of Walsall Council after 14 years following a crunch meeting on Monday.

Three members of the party even flew back from holiday to ensure they had enough people to back a motion to remove Conservative councillor Mike Bird and appoint councillor Coughlan in his place.

The motion was carried with 31 votes for, 12 against, and 16 abstentions, mostly from the Conservative group.

The council faces having to make £84m cuts over the next four years. An outline budget for the next financial year will be produced in the winter ahead of going to the full council around February time.