Leicester City Council could seek outside help to set mayor's pay
The salary of Leicester's elected mayor could be decided by the panel which sets the pay and allowances of politicians in London.
The city council is considering asking the London Councils Review Board to determine Sir Peter Soulsby's wage.
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Peter Soulsby
It comes after Sir Peter scrapped the Leicester panel which used to set councillors' pay and allowances after it said he should get a £44,000 pay rise to £100,000, provoking a public outcry.
It also said the salary of his deputy Rory Palmer should be increased from £34,000 to £75,000.
Councillors are now being asked for their thoughts on the London option, and two alternatives, as the authority tries to find a way forward.
However, some members are concerned because all three options involve asking people from outside Leicester to decide the salary of the mayor and his deputies, and councillors' allowances.
Council chief operating officer Andy Keeling set out the options in an e-mail to councillors, stating that using the London Councils Review Board was the preferred choice.
In his response, Lord Mayor and Labour councillor Robert Wann wrote: "All of the options involve people outside of Leicester.
"There are many business people within Leicester that are able to look at this. And I think the electorate would want a Leicester committee looking at Leicester salaries.
"We are a unique city and I think the best way is for Leicester people to decide what Leicester should be paying."
He suggested involving trade unions officials and business people from the city.
Independent city councillor Nigel Porter sent an e-mail to colleagues saying voters should be asked to make recommendations on politicians' pay.
"We trust them to elect us so why can we not trust them to decide on this, too?" he said.
"We should throw it open to public consultation, ask people if there should be any increases in wages or allowances, and if they say yes it should be up to the people who elected us to decide the level.
"I think that is the only way to overcome the perception people have that politicians have their snouts in the trough."
The Leicester panel, which comprised Leicester Chamber of Commerce chief executive Martin Traynor, De Montfort University vice chancellor Dominic Shellard, businessman Mike Kapur and charity boss Pat Zadora, was scrapped after questions were raised about its independence.
Sir Peter, who has refused to be drawn into speculation about what he should be paid, told the Mercury yesterday that whoever made the decision must be independent.
"I am determined whoever does it should be independent and be seen to be so," he said.
"The concern is there will be local considerations. It is about striking a balance."
The other two options being considered are using the Government's Senior Salary Review Body, which sets the salaries for top judges and senior army officers and civil servants, and having a panel of people selected from outside the city.
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by eastgates
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 4:52AM
“Is there a simple answer as to why the citizens of Leicester cannot say what this lot are worth?
DO WE NEED THEM ALL ?”
by Pulse
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 2:33AM
“bimple - "Pulse, so you are happy for (large amounts) of public money to be used without ANY review EVER?! You are trusting, aren't you?!"
No, what i am saying is he knew what the salary was when he took the post, along with the assistant mayors. This isnt something that happened years ago, it was only a few MONTHS ago!
He also knew the chief exec post would be deleted and DENIED on TV that the savings would go to him.
He will lose whatever little credibility he has left if his and his team's salaries are increased, especially given the £100 million savings he has to make, the 1000+ people that have to be made redundant, services that have to be cut etc.”
by bimple
Monday, January 02 2012, 12:23PM
“"He knew full well what the salary was, so there shouldn't even be a pay review."
Pulse, so you are happy for (large amounts) of public money to be used without ANY review EVER?! You are trusting, aren't you?!”
by bimple
Monday, January 02 2012, 12:21PM
“Bez, no, I don't work with the City Council, never have. And I'm not arguing about people's opinion (to which they, as you say, are entitled), I am arguing about simple facts.”
by Bez67
Monday, January 02 2012, 8:28AM
“Bimple, what a supremely arrogant individual you are. Are you working for Soulsby by any chance? If you are advising the Council then you are making a hash of it. Tax payers have a right to an opinion, even if it doesn't fit with your "professional" one; ACCEPT IT”
by Pulse
Monday, January 02 2012, 2:02AM
“In his case to get rid of the Chief Exec, Peter Soulsby argued that it would save over £200,000. When it was suggested that some of this wouldn't be saved b/c it would just go to him, he categorically denied this. East Midlands Today even asked him directly and he denied this on TV!
He knew full well what the salary was, so there shouldn't even be a pay review.
He is now in a tough spot b/c:
* the public was never asked about having a mayor so many don't like him anyways
* any solution to the NWC main council buildings structural problems will cost at least many 10's of millions, so more bad news.
* LCC are about to make over 1000 staff redundant, which will have knock-on effects for many other businesses.
* LCC still need to save £100 million. Many people still do not grasp how big this is and how much this will affect services. To give you an idea, in the 2 announcements in Dec, LCC has only anounced cuts of less than £7 million, so still over £93 million to follow!
Against this backdrop of cuts and services that will be slashed, and the effect this will have on jobs and families, if his or his team's pay does go up by ANY amount, the already angry people of Leicester will NOT forgive him!”
by bimple
Sunday, January 01 2012, 8:12PM
“GeorgeCloney, the public sector pay freeze only applies to cost of living increases and NOT regrades/incremental increases.”
by GeorgeCloney
Sunday, January 01 2012, 7:08PM
“Public sector pay freeze? surely that should make the decision simple. Surely that should make it simple and next year they get no more than 2%.”
by bimple
Sunday, January 01 2012, 4:00PM
“Eastonian, my job is to advise Councils on their statutory operation. Please don't EVER try and lecture me on this topic, I know more than you on the subject; accept it.”
by Eastonian
Friday, December 30 2011, 10:14PM
“bimple, you have really personified someone who knows absolutely nothing about what they are talking about.
The matter of the 'Elected Mayor' system which affects the City of Leicester was introduced by the Coalition Government to 12 cities across the UK. It was the Coalition Government's ambition for each of those cities to hold a Referendum of it's citizens to see if they wanted a change in local governance or not. Still with me?
The other 11 cities are to hold Referendums but, alas, not Leicester. Why? For the simple reason the power-mad Labour controlled City Council simply chose, by themselves, to make way for their man. This is politics of power-madness, it has gone to their heads and so many can't see it.
London has always been a separate and different issue and nothing at all to do with this exercise.
Where you are getting mixed up in saying "Leicester is no different to any other city" is in the fact that they all have 'Lord Mayors'. Soulsby, whether you like it or not is most definitely NOT the Lord Mayor of Leicester. He may think he is, his followers may consider him so but he certainly ain't!!
I really do hope this helps as it is getting past my bedtime!!”