No to pensions for councillors following heated debate

Conservative Cllr Robert Clegg

Robert Clegg, Conservative Councillor for Wardle and West Littleborough, and Council Finance Portfolio holder, spoke against the Regulatory Committee’s recommendation that Councillors be allowed to join the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (Pension Scheme) at the recent full council meeting. Cllr Clegg pointed out that there would be significant cost implications as the council would have to make contributions for each councillor who opted in should the recommendation be approved.

Cllr Clegg's intervention in the debate followed the Liberal Democrat’s Councillor Taylor speaking against the recommendation having moved an amendment that was seconded by Councillor Hobhouse. Cllr Taylor said the idea of pensions for councillors was "totally unacceptable... a disgrace" he added that to accept would be a case of councillors having their “snouts in the trough.”

His proposed amendment to the Regulatory Committee’s recommendation read:

“That as the decisions so far to allow entry of Councillors into the Local Government Superannuation Scheme have been on an ‘in principle’ basis and in view of the potential costs to the council, the entry of Councillors into the Local Government Superannuation Scheme be not approved.”

Leader of the Labour Group, and of the Council, Cllr Allen Brett spoke in favour of the recommendation and argued that the Lib Dem opposition was not sincere and motivated solely by the proximity of the decision to the local elections. He went on to accuse the Liberal Democrat’s of being anti-women for opposing pensions for councillors and cited the cases of four of his female Labour councillor colleagues who have no pension provision.

In the vote following a heated and ill tempered debate the result was 29 for the amendment to 20 against, split predominantly down party lines as Conservative councillors joined with the Liberal Democrats to oppose Labour Councillors who rallied around Cllr Brett to vote against the amendment.

Speaking to Rochdale Online Councillor Clegg said he was pleased that councillors will not be allowed to join the Local Government Pension Scheme, he said: “it would be wrong on the grounds that councillors are not ‘employees’ of the council, they are elected for a fixed term and they are paid an allowance not a salary.”