Labour councillors on Wokingham Borough Council have always voted against pay rises for councillors and have refused to take any of the increases voted for by Conservative and Lib  Dem councillors. The allowances received by Labour councillors are set as they were in 2010 – before the introduction of austerity.

Labour Party straw polls in Wokingham and Woodley have consistently shown that residents find the idea if councillors voting themselves pay rise to be unacceptable.

Liberal Democrat councillors on Wokingham Town Council have recently twice refused to reject proposals to introduce payments for themselves.

Historically, town and parish councillors have been elected and served on a voluntary basis. Each time the proposal has been kicked further down the line for “consideration.

The next consideration will be in approximately October 2025. The next Borough Council elections are in May 2026 and the next Town Council elections are in May 2027

The first occasion was the Wokingham Town Strategy Working Party meeting in September 2023. The Strategy Working Party had the power to not forward the proposal for discussion. Instead of terminating the suggesting, or suggesting it not be adopted the Working Party insisted on it being decided by another committee – the Finance and Personal Committee.

The Labour councillors on the Working Party (who wanted to end the proposal there and then) were out voted by the Liberal Democrats who wanted it the proposal considered.

The proposal was considered at the Finance and Personal Committee meeting of 24th October 2023. Again, this meeting refused to bury the idea and instead kicked into the long – grass – after the all-out elections in May 2024 and well before the next local elections  in 2026.

Other town councils in the Borough (i.e. Earley and Woodley town councils) have already rejected the proposals, leaving the Liberal Democrats of Wokingham Town Council as the only councillors who think people who were elected just in May to a voluntary role should now new voting themselves a pay rise.

Andy Croy, leader of the Labour councillors on Wokingham Town Council said:

“The Liberal Democrats on Wokingham Town Council have had two opportunities to put this proposal where it belongs – in the bin. Instead they have kept it on the table. And they have kept in the table because they have been pressing for this and they want it voted through.

“It is simply unconscionable that when everybody is getting poorer, Liberal Democrats in local government are even thinking about voting themselves a new payment.

“Town and parish councillors are elected on a voluntary basis.  That is clear to every candidate. It is a voluntary role.

“Like volunteers all over the borough town and parish councillors give their time in willing service of their community. If they want to vote themselves a pay rise, they should at least have the decency to put it on their election leaflets so people know what they are voting for.

“Being a town councillor is not very much work. The minimum attendance requirement is one meeting every six months. Of course, most will attend their full quota of two or so meetings a month.

“It is nothing like the commitment required of any other voluntary organisation, say a children’s team coach or volunteering for a charity.

“There are eleven Liberal Democrat Wokingham town councillors standing for election as Borough councillors across the Borough. People have a right to know the attitude of these candidates towards councillors at ANY level voting themselves a pay rise. If your Lib Dem candidate is a Wokingham Town Councillor, ask them.

“Over the next two years, Borough councillors will be asked to vote themselves a pay rise so to challenge people now is the right thing to do.

“What we are seeing now is what happens when Liberal Democrats think no one is looking.

“This is yet another area where having Labour councillors in every meeting of every council is vital to ensure proper transparency and accountability – because it is clear the Wokingham Liberal Democrats do not want this.

“Since 2015, Labour councillors on Wokingham Borough Council have voted against every pay rise proposal.

“Furthermore, it is our policy that all Labour Borough councillors only accept the allowance as it was set in 2010 – when the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats introduced the austerity agenda that is savaging public services to this day.

“Labour councillors will continue to vote against pay rises for councillors.”