South Gloucestershire’s Labour Group Leader is raising questions about the creation of three new jobs to support the district’s Conservative Cabinet. At the Council’s Annual Meeting held this week, the ruling Conservatives agreed to appoint three of their number to support the executive Cabinet, and these may end up receiving an additional allowance payment.

Labour Leader Councillor Pat Rooney comments:

“When the Conservatives reintroduced the Cabinet, they claimed that decision making would become more transparent and better value for money. They have now created new executive support roles that may well add to the council’s allowances bill. These assistants won’t make decisions but might get paid, so I question where the transparency and value for money is in that.

 

The Council Leader has shuffled his pack and is claiming that his Cabinet has reduced so needs this support, but I question his maths as it contained seven people before the election and seven people now.

 

There is a serious imbalance at South Gloucestershire Council in the resourcing of the executive and the scrutiny roles, and if more support is available it should be going to strengthen the scrutiny function.

 

We are seeing a growing concentration not only of power but also of allowance payments to Conservative members and I hope that the Independent Remuneration Panel will investigate this growing inequality.”