Dispute follows councillor pay rise rejection decision

DERRY City and Strabane District Council’s recent decision to reject a pay raise has led to dispute among councillors about inequality.

It follows an earlier decision by the members to reject the latest scheduled pay increase, which would have seen councillors’ allowances rise from £15,071 per annum to a maximum of £17,030.

At a Full Council Meeting on Wednesday, independent councillor Paul Gallagher said he was concerned that the decision had created a “wide disparity” among local councillors, public representatives in other districts as well as MLAs and MPs.

He said the decision to forgo a pay raise was “falling in behind” inequality.

“We shouldn’t be reinforcing that principle in the west,” Cllr Gallagher remarked.

Listing the expenses of some MLAs in the region, he added, “If the parties in here want to save money, that’s where they should be starting.

“If this council continues to take this stance [to reject a pay raise], then there’s going to be a wide disparity and inequality across the North.”

Mayor Patricia Logue, who chaired Wednesday’s meeting, clarified that MLAs’ and MPs’ expenses were used for staff wages and office rent, and any deduction could lead to “job cuts”.

Sinn Féin’s Christopher Jackson agreed that it was “only right and just” to scrutinise any public expenditure, but MLAs and MPs were expected to run offices and provide services for their constituents.

Cllr Jackson said: “No matter how much jumping up and down Cllr Gallagher does in this chamber, we will not deny the people we represent a first class constituency service.”

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney added, “I agree with Cllr Gallagher that it’s not a lot of money to save. But it’s the principle of elected representatives voting to increase their own wages. That’s why it was shot back last year, and the year before as well.”

He concluded, “I have no issue with anybody who feels they need or deserve a pay increase. What I do feel uncomfortable with is us voting to give ourselves a pay rise.”