Allowances boost for Arun council

The amount being recommended to be paid to councillors will total 418,650 for the current year if all the amounts are taken up.

This would be a near four per cent increase on the 403,020 estimated to have been spent in the financial year to last March 31.

Among the recommendations by the three-strong independent panel on members' allowances are a near 13pc increase in the amount councillors can claim for use of computers.

The panel suggests that this should comprise an annual 240 for a broadband connection as well as 100 a year to pay for consumables.

This will see the overall sum which a member can receive for being able to receive the internet and e-mail going up from 300 to 340. In addition, a grant of up to 500 will be payable to those members who lack access to IT equipment to enable them to buy it.

The panel's recommendations will be debated by the council's governance committee next Monday.The response of the committee will considered by all the members of the council on July 18. Any rises will be backdated to the start of last month.

Among the panel's other suggestions is an increase in the allowance for the council leader, Cllr Gill Brown, from her current 13,200 to 13,650 or 3.4 per cent.

The five cabinet members will also see their yearly allowance rise four per cent to 8,000 from 7,740.

All the backbench councillors will be entitled to receive an extra 1.7 per cent to take them to 4,685 compared to 4,620. This will be the first increase in the general allowance for three years. A new allowance will also enable the nine members of the development control site inspection panel, who visit certain locations to help decide planning applicaitons, will see them collect 500 each on top of the 9,750 they currently get for being a member of the committee.

Bognor Regis Civic Society deputy chairman Hugh Coster said: 'I can sympathise with councillors receiving expenses because it costs them money to undertake their activities.

'However, I am less certain that they should be paid allowances. They choose to take on the role. Any extra money they receive is an additional amount to be paid for out of council tax.'