Camden’s Town Hall in Pancras Square

• WE are members of the local Labour Party who are disappointed Camden Council is proposing a substantial increase in the allowance paid to senior councillors, (‘Inflation-busting’ pay rise for cabinet is the ‘wrong thing at the wrong time’, August 22).

According to your August 22 report, cabinet members will potentially be receiving an additional 54 per cent, and the leader of the council is due to receive an additional 37 per cent pay increase.

The fact that a Labour council is proposing to increase allowances for senior councillors in the midst of savage austerity cuts is a kick in the teeth to our most vulnerable residents.

Increases of this magnitude are at best insensitive, but as the council is currently cutting vital services as well as stopping or reducing support for the most vulnerable in our community, it is verging on the immoral.

We recognise being a councillor is an important civic role. Moreover, we acknowledge the need to encourage as many people from diverse backgrounds as possible to come forward as councillors: we need more women, BAME, disabled and working class candidates.

However, if we really want to increase diversity in the group of councillors, increasing the amount of the basic allowance by a modest amount is sensible; not paying more money to senior councillors.

Increasing the basic allowance benefits everyone (including senior councillors); it promotes the legitimate goal of encouraging greater involvement in civic life from a broader range of society and recognises the demanding role being a councillor entails.

As Labour Party members in Holborn & St Pancras and in Hampstead & Kilburn we urge our Labour councillors to rethink, and reject the current proposals as reported in the press and instead put forward fairer alternatives that fit with our Labour ethos that will deliver for the many.

SIGNATORIES:

Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party members: PETE BOND, SUE CAMPBELL, UNA DOYLE, SARAH FRIDAY, CAROLYN GELENTER, JULIAN HOUGH, RIVA JOFFE, ISOBEL MCMILLAN, BERNARD MILLER, GARETH MURPHY, PAUL O’BRIEN, LUKE PEARSON, DIANE PEARSON, JOHN PURCELL, TOM REED, SHEZAN RENNY, PAUL RENNY, PETE ROBBINS, LINDA SAYLE, AMANDA SEBESTYEN, ROBERT WEST

Hampstead & Kilburn Labour Party members: CAROL ARCHER, SAM WEINSTEIN, OWEN HOLLAND, Chair of Camden Momentum