COUNCILLORS PAY CUT

As part of Sefton council's savings programme, a 5 per cent cut in the basic flat rate annual sum paid to all councillors was agreed by the Cabinet meeting today (Thursday 17 Feb). It will be formally approved by the full Council next month. The revised amount is £8,520 which includes a standard fixed yearly allowance for expenses, including travelling costs, within the borough. 

From September last year certain councillors (e.g. committee chairs, Cabinet members) who get Special Responsibility Allowances on top of the basic sum took a 5 per cent pay cut.

Sefton council, like others throughout the country, is having to make drastic spending cuts totalling £44 million in the financial year 2011/12 in order to produce a balanced budget.  Currently, there is still approx £2 million to find before the legal deadline for declaring a formal spending budget in March.