Coronavirus cancellation halts Wellingborough leader's backdated payrise

Plans to award a backdated pay rise to the leader and deputy leader of Wellingborough Council have been shelved because the coronavirus emergency has meant tonight’s (March 26) full council meeting has been called off.

On the agenda for the meeting was a proposal to increase council leader Martin Griffiths’ special responsibility allowance by a quarter to £11,405 and to backdate it by eleven months.

The pay recommendation was on the suggestion of an independent panel who said that Cllr Griffiths’ extra workload over the past year warranted an increased allowance and would still take his pay slightly below the average for comparable authorities.

Cllr Griffiths along with leaders of the other eight councils in Northamptonshire has seen his workload ramp up massively due to the unitary reorganisation which will see councils replaced by two new super councils in next Spring.

Deputy leader of the council Cllr Tom Partridge Underwood was also due to receive a 12.5 percent pay rise to £5,125. Both councillors also receive the members allowance of £4,887 given to every elected member of the council.

However now the meeting has been scrapped following Government advice that everyone should stay at home to stop the virus spreading, the council will not be able to vote for more take home allowances for the leader.

Cllr Griffiths said he was working ‘day and night’ in his council work.

He said: “I am delighted and proud to be leader of the Borough Council of Wellingborough and serve our residents. The increase in allowance was independently recommended by a panel of non-councillors. I will continue to do my utmost to ensure that our residents and businesses receive help and support in these extremely challenging times.

I will continue to support our staff who have taken a stoic approach and have recently left no stone unturned in helping the most vulnerable people in our borough.”

Leader of the Labour opposition Cllr Andrew Scarborough said he was interviewed by the panel about the pay hike and told them Cllr Griffiths should see his special members allowance increased.

However it is understood a few members of the leader’s own Conservative party were not in favour of the pay boost and were planning to vote against it at the meeting if it had gone ahead.

One who did want to be named thought the pay rise was in ‘poor taste’ at a time when many in the county are currently losing their jobs due to the economic repercussions of coronavirus which has ground many businesses to a halt.

It is not known currently just how the meetings of local councils across the country will be held during the coronavirus lockdown, which is expected to go on for at least the next three months.

Almost all scheduled meetings of the four councils in North Northamptonshire, plus the county council have been cancelled. The government is due to pass the Coronavirus Bill by the end of the month – which could see council meetings take place virtually.