Father Christmas set to bring York Councillors 21% pay increase.

An independent panel is recommending to next weeks York Council meeting that Councillors get whopping pay increases.
York Councillors proposed pay increases.

York Councillors proposed pay increases. About half the Council members are eligible for SRA payments.

If accepted, the rises would far outstrip the increase in pay seen by Council staff over the last 6 years.

In 2008 the Council agreed to tie members allowance rates to average Council staff wage increases, although members decided to forgo an increase during the depth of the recession.

Most Councillors were elected expecting an inflation lift of around 3%. However some, under the recommendations, would get an increase in responsibility allowances of as much as 148%.santa money

The top salary earner would be the Council Leader who would be paid £34,668 a year. There would be no requirement for members to be full time Councillors (several members of the present Council also hold down well paid outside jobs). There is no requirement for Councillors to record the number of hours that they devote to their duties each week (although many do work very hard for their local communities)

The rationale used by the independent panel is that high wage rates are necessary to attract good quality candidates. However, at the May 2015 polls, electors had a record number of candidates to choose from.

There is little evidence to suggest that higher pay attracts better qualified candidates.

The Council does not have to accept the recommendations which, if implemented in full, would add £84,000 (15%) to the members annual wage bill. 

Nor do individual Councillors have to accept a pay increase. In the past some have turned down increases and have continued to claim the amount applicable when they were last elected.

The debate comes at a time when the Council is struggling to find additional funding for elderly care as well as a bill for several hundred thousand pounds for changes to the Council Tax Support system.

One option would be for the Council to agree a total budget allocation in line with the 3.2% wage increase received by local government employees over the last 6 years,

Any further increase could be delayed until after the next local elections when, no doubt, a ballot paper full of high calibre candidates would be available for selection in all wards!

Free bus travel for young people in January & February

YOzone_both_cards Youngsters in York aged 18 and under can travel by bus for free with a YOzone card every weekend throughout January and February.

All of York’s local bus operators, including First, Arriva, Transdev and Coastliner will be taking part in the free travel offer.

City of York Council’s free travel initiative was given the green light by the Executive Member for Transport and Planning,

Of course someone will have to pick up the cost of the scheme so it looks like taxpayers will get a bill for around £50,000.  (more…)

Yellow lines being painted on Kings Square

Kings Square

Kings Square

From this week, City of York Council will be introducing parking restrictions on King’s Square.

Businesses and retailers in the area have been sent details of the changes, which aim to reduce the levels of inappropriate and sometimes dangerous parking occurring in the square.

The Executive Member for Transport approved proposals to review traffic management in the footstreets, including King’s Square, at a Decision Session on 12 November.

More information about this is available here.

This work will include a review of access for Green and Blue badge holders. The timeline for considering the issue and formulating clear recommendations will go back to the Executive Member for Transport in the coming months.

However, due to the level of vehicle activity and parking which is currently occurring, the council has listened to businesses, retailers and residents’ concerns and is taking more immediate action now.

Works are set to take place from tonight (weather permitting) which will see the authority introduce double yellow lines in King’s Square. The legal traffic order is in place and the painting of lines will bring restrictions into immediate effect.

This will not prejudice the review of traffic access in the footstreets, but will mean that parking is not allowed at any time except for disabled badge holders who will be able to park for three hours, providing they do not cause an obstruction. Loading/unloading will still be able to take place before and after the pedestrian hours of 10.30am and 5pm.

For more information about the parking changes please contact highway.regulation@york.gov.uk