Dudley councillors to get 3.2 per cent pay rise despite cuts to local services

The increase will take the basic allowance for a ward councillor to £12,532 which will be backdated for April.

Special allowances for extra duties taken on by councillors like cabinet members or being on scrutiny committees will also increase by the same percentage.

The council’s constitution has a provision which says members’ allowances vary in line with cost of living pay increases for local authority staff, whose pay award is determined by the National Joint Council.

The cost to council taxpayers of the increase to members’ allowances will be £46,000.

Dudley Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Tromans has already told the council’s pay masters he will not be accepting the increase.

Cllr Tromans said: “I fully agree that council officers deserve a pay rise, however I must refuse the increase to my allowance as an elected member as I cannot accept this in good conscience whilst cuts to services are taking place, service charges have soared and my residents are waiting for trees to be trimmed back.”

The increase will also apply to top directors and executives at the authority who, under a new management structure currently being introduced, will earn basic salaries between £118,000 and £195,000.

Councillor Ed Lawrence, Dudley cabinet member responsible for transformation, said: “A new senior management structure was designed, consulted on and delivers an overall saving of £1.2m per annum.

“Appropriate responsibility levels for the new senior roles were increased and independently evaluated and assessed to confirm the salary levels, consulted with the trade unions, and agreed to ensure the council was competitive and offering fair market rates to attract the best qualified people to deliver services for our residents.”

Directors’ pay rises are determined by the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers of Local Authorities, and the chief executive is covered by the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Executives of Local Authorities.

Dudley’s policy on pay differences between high and low earners is measured as a ratio, currently the chief executive is paid nine times the lowest earner at the council while directors get around five times more than the lowest earners

Cllr Lawrence defended the high salaries of executives while the lowest 37 hours per week salary at the authority is £22,366 per year.

He said: “Our improvement plan has overseen the creation of a budget for 2025/26 which identified more than £55 million of savings.

“This alongside good financial management has allowed us to bolster our reserves to more than £30million.

“The new senior management structure has seen an overall reduction in roles.

“This has meant an overall saving of £1.2m will be achieved once all new vacant roles are appointed to. It is efficiencies like this, as well as the appeal of serving the people of Dudley borough, which help us to attract high performing directors.

“Their value will be assessed through improved outcomes and the delivery of quality, efficient and effective services.”