This is where the big money is being spent (From Northwich Guardian)

This is where the big money is being spent

7:40am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Your Letters

I AM responding to Doug Shingler’s letter, Guardian December 28, 2011, ‘Take a cut and lead from the front’.

I can understand that Mr Shingler thinks, like most people, that councillors get some kind of fortune for the work they do.

The average basic allowance is around £9,000 per year net. I can only tell him that I do not take any expenses other than the standard allowance. My time spent on council business at Cheshire West and Chester Council is around 30-35 hours per week, including meetings, emails, telephone calls, visiting residents and site visits for planning as well as many other duties.

It is also worth noting that there is no compensation for phone calls, and my house phone bill has tripled since I became a councillor. I do not claim fuel allowance as I fund my travelling costs from my basic members’ allowance and from my part-time job in the private sector.

I am in no way complaining as I feel very privileged to serve as a councillor for Swanlow and Dene.

I also feel very lucky to have a job in these desperate hard times when so many are unemployed through no fault of their own.

I do, however, feel that the role of a councillor and the financial compensation it brings is very much misunderstood.

The question I think people should be asking is why those officers earning more than £50,000 a year with CWAC are not affected by a pay freeze and cuts in shift allowance as are the lowest paid employees of CWAC.

This question has been asked of those at CWAC who earn these high salaries and the astronomical fees paid to consultants, and was met with a wall of silence.

I fully understand Mr. Shingler’s comments but I feel that maybe if he and others realised where all the ‘big’ money goes, he may take a slightly different view.

Clr STEPHEN BURNS Labour Councillor, Winsford