MEMBERS of a local authority in Cumbria could be about to receive a £1,000 increase in their basic allowance.

Councillors serving Westmorland and Furness Council (WFC) would be given £13,000 annually to cover the time that they put into their roles.

This would be a rise on the amount they received serving on the shadow authority that oversaw preparation and planning for WFC, which formally came into being on April 1 and took over the duties performed by Cumbria County Council, South Lakeland District Council, Barrow Borough Council and Eden District Council.

The increase is one of a number of recommendations that have been made by an independent remuneration panel (IRP). These are outlined in documents published online ahead of WFC's annual general meeting on April 20.

In a report, Paul Jones, chairman of the panel, says the proposed £13,000 figure reflects the 'unique geography, travelling time commitment and assumed workload of all new councillors'.

"It also recognises an element for inflation," he says.

A table in Mr Jones's report outlines the basic allowances paid to members of councils in other areas, including the £12,351 given to Cheshire East councillors and the £15,033 given to Northumberland councillors.

The report says 'several' WFC members estimated they spent between 22.5 and 25 hours on council business.

The national living wage of £10.42 per hour equates to £12,194 annually for a 22.5-hour weekly workload and £13,546 for 25 hours. 

In addition, the IRP has made a number of recommendations related to special responsibility allowances (SRAs), which are paid on top of the basic amount.

The leader of the council would, for example, be paid an additional £23,400, cabinet members an additional £7,800 and the council chairman an extra £6,500.

"The level of SRAs was particularly an area where, unfortunately, neither we, nor the councillors we spoke to, had the benefit of any experience of how the new governance structure will work in practice and so we recognise that, when we review the allowance scheme next year, we should be flexible in reviewing these initial assumptions and recommendations in the light of experience," says Mr Jones in his report.

A table in the document outlines that the total cost of basic allowances and SRAs would be £1,069,900. It says this would be a saving of £175,100 when compared to the total 2022/23 cost of allowances among the councils that preceded Westmorland and Furness.

The IRP says telephone expenses are among those that must be covered by a councillor's basic allowance.

Members can still claim for travel although they should use public transport 'where reasonably possible'.

Councillors at the upcoming annual general meeting must decide whether or not they approve the IRP's recommendations.