It is unusual in council meetings to be able to speak to a joint motion but very welcome that we can do so on this subject.
Croydon Council’s financial position is dire and the consequences of that will affect everyone in the borough to some degree. Some will be hit especially hard with the loss of their jobs or removal of desperately needed services. Against such a backdrop it is right that the Councillors take a hit as well. The reductions in SRAs contained within this proposal are well targeted and fair.
When we called an ECM on Councillor allowances there were a number of changes we wished to see, mostly relating back to the unjustifiable increases that were brought forward and voted through against our wishes in 2018. These measures address all of our concerns. Specifically they reverse the large rise made to Cabinet members allowances as well as removing the SRA for the chair of the Health and Wellbeing board which always appeared to be more of a political creation than a necessary one. They also achieve the cross party aim of cutting back the huge rise awarded to the Chair of Scrutiny and I think will be welcomed as a responsible move. Reflecting the much reduced future size of council services by dropping the Cabinet by a position also makes sense and we look forward to early sight of how the reduced cabinet will re-allocate roles.
On this basis Madam Mayor I am happy to second this motion.
This does however leave just one thing unresolved in our eyes. These changes do not, in our view, take effect soon enough. Staff are already losing their jobs at the council and residents are being impacted by other cuts such as the removal of the Ward Budgets that did so much to support local groups. With this in mind the Conservative group has agreed that we will voluntarily apply the 20% reduction in SRAs detailed in this motion from the 1st of January. Against the councils huge budget gap this appears as a drop in the ocean but if this results in just one member of staff not losing their job or an additional care package being awarded then it is most certainly worthwhile. I would urge all members of the Labour group who are in receipt of SRAs to join us and not wait until the next financial year. As a council we need to move quickly and positively.
Once again, I support this motion.
