Hounslow councillors are set for big increases in allowances after a report said they should be brought into line with other London boroughs

The council plans to raise the basic allowance paid to all councillors to the same level as council staff have received this year as well as bigger increases in the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) paid to councillors with extra duties including the leader and deputy leader.

Raises are set for the mayor, leader of the opposition, deputy mayor, and the inclusion of an SRA for the deputy leader of the opposition.

The proposed increases will cost £178,000 for this financial year including payments backdated to April 2020 and £233,000 for 2021/22.

Council leader Steve Curran will get a 47% increase in his SRA from £27,200 to £40,000.

The council says this is still below the average for borough leaders in capital.

Deputy leader Lily Bath's allowance will increase by 56% to £25,000 and the eight other cabinet members also see their allowances rise by 56% to £20,000.

Five new Cabinet Portfolio assistant roles are being created which will pay an SRA of £8,916.

The majority group Chief Whip will get an extra allowance of £10,000, an increase from £2,603.

An allowance of £2,500 will be paid to a deputy Chief Whip as well as £2,750 for a minority group whip.

The planning committee chair will be paid £10,000 instead of £6,400 while the deputy chair will receive £5,000 for a job that was previously unpaid.

Opposition leader Gerald McGregor gets an increase from £2,168 to £11,000 and a new SRA for a deputy leader of the opposition of £5,500 will be paid.

Councillors' basic allowance will rise by 2.75% from £11,266 to £11,576.

The increases follow recommendations made in 2018 by an independent panel established by London Councils to consider the levels of remuneration paid to London councillors.

Hounslow Council leader Cllr Steve Curran said, "The review makes clear we have fallen significantly behind other London authorities and need to make our scheme fair for all. When our Mayor's role attracts only slightly over half the London average, we have a challenge.

"Worse, when our Conservative opposition leader receives less than a fifth of the going rate, we have to put things right.

"Even now, proposed increases don't take roles to the London average, as we are also careful to maintain our hard-earned reputation for sound financial management.

"We are fortunate in Hounslow in the quality of our councillors. But the Independent Report shows it is increasingly hard across London to recruit people to stand as councillors and low allowances and the time needed are seen as major disincentives.

"But as the report also makes clear, the role of a councillor should be open to all, regardless of background, and these first steps towards bringing Hounslow's allowances to the same level as the rest of London are key towards that ambition".

The allowance rises are due to be considered and voted on by the full council meeting on March 2.

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