Department for Communities to decide councillors’ basic allowances moving forward

The response by the Department for Communities (DfC) to the 2021 Review of Role and Responsibilities of Councillors in Northern Ireland (NI) indicates that there is a lack of awareness of support mechanisms available to local councillors, at a time when they face increasing pressure, and prospective members face barriers to entry.

The review asserts that local councillors view the existing allowance system and a lack of a maternity/paternity scheme as gaps in support for elected members. It also notes: “The role of the councillor has become more complex, multi-faceted, and continues to change with councillors being now viewed as advocates for change.”

Conducted by a working group (WG) appointed by DfC, it claims that many constituents go to councillors to raise issues that MLAs are appointed to deal with. This arises from the fact local councillors live and work in the area they represent, making them more accessible than MLAs.

A survey completed by the WG including responses from 62 per cent of the 462 councillors in Northern Ireland found that 70 per cent faced “abuse and/or harassment because of their role”. It notes: “The WG believes that addressing the challenges associated with personal security, use of social media, and attracting younger councillors are as integral to the future of healthy local democracy as remuneration and terms and conditions.”

Data from the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), of which 425 of the 462 councillors in Northern Ireland are members, sheds light on the make-up of elected officials. A plurality of councillors are aged between 45 and 49, while 293 (69 per cent) of the 425 LGPS members are male, and 132 (31 per cent) are female. The review says: “Concerns were expressed to the WG by stakeholders about the growing need for councillors to be more reflective of the society which they serve.”

Changes

On foot of the review, the WG made numerous recommendations to DfC to address the challenges, with two being accepted. DfC agreed to transfer the duty of deciding members’ basic allowance (BA) from councils to the Department, and that the next review of the role of local councillors be completed before 2031.

Existing BA of £17,030 was deemed inadequate by the review which says “it does not reflect the more challenging roles undertaken by councillors”. The WG requested that the BA be increased from £17,030 to £21,925, subject to two further increases in line with inflation and public sector average earnings.

This proposal was rejected by DfC, which deemed it “unaffordable in the current climate”. Increasing the BA to £21,925 would have resulted in an additional annual cost of approximately £2.26 million to the Executive. Instead, the Department recommended that BA increase to £18,329, a 5 per cent growth on the 2024 allowance based on councillors’ working hours increasing from 18.5 hours to 20 hours per week. Any additional time councillors dedicate to the role is done so on a voluntary basis, according to the review.

The review found that 46 per cent of respondents dedicate between 20 and 30 hours per week to their role while 26 per cent dedicate between 30 and 40. The survey found that 57 per cent of respondents are in full time employment while 23 per cent work part time.

Rejected recommendations

According to DfC, many of the measures the WG recommended be implemented are already within the remit of local authorities. For example, the WG recommended that all chairs and vice chairs receive payments of Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA). The WG explained that these payments “vary considerably” between councils while some “do not remunerate these positions at all”. However, the Department asserted that it is up to each council to decide how SRAs are paid.

The WG also said “serious consideration” should be given to the remuneration of party leads, but the DfC said this is a decision made by councils. On travel and subsistence, the WG requested that guidelines be established on which approved duties should have costs covered. It was noted that the payment per mile varied across councils from 45p per mile to 65p. This was rejected by DfC on the basis that councils are “responsible for their own budgets”.

The Department also rejected the WG’s recommendation that a database outlining councillors’ age and gender be compiled “to be more reflective of the society which they serve”. DfC rejected this as the information is already available from public bodies like NI Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee and LGPS.

Allowance increase announced

Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons MLA officially announced the changes in a statement in March: “I am pleased that the Executive has unanimously agreed to the proposals that I have brought forward. I have considered carefully the recommendations in the report and, in doing so, I needed to balance any increase in the basic allowance for councillors against the cost to ratepayers in what is an extremely challenging financial climate. I need to ensure that increases in rates bills are kept to the minimum.

“Against a backdrop of wider public sector settlements generally in and around this level, I am content that this 5 per cent increase for councillors is justified given the volume and complexity of council duties, the hours required to carry them out, and the fact that the role and responsibilities of councillors was last reviewed in 2013.”