Sign our Reject The Rise petition here

THIS WEEK the Times Series names and shames Barnet councillors who awarded themselves huge pay increases in the face of public opposition.

Council leader Lynne Hillan can claim up to £54,227 per year, a jump of nearly £20,000, on top of a basic allowance of £10,597.

Cabinet members will double their entitlement to £34,780.

This is the same council that could lose £27.4 million in the collapsed Icelandic banks.

The same council that wanted to cut wardens from sheltered housing to save money.

The same council that wants to privatise services through the ‘easyCouncil’ programme.

The same council that must save more than £6m after budget cuts.

Barnet Council’s slogan is ‘putting the community first’. Is this the same community where ordinary people are, at worst, losing their jobs and, at best, facing a pay freeze?

The same community dealing with major cuts in public services? Cuts which could mean a reduction in the number of police on our streets? Cuts in the NHS which could affect patient care?

Our community has no opportunity to challenge these pay increases. But our readers deserve a voice, and we are asking all residents in the borough of Barnet to reject the rise.

Fill in our petition and we will take your views to Cllr Hillan and find out if she really believes in putting her community first.

The allowance increase has been rejected by central Government, two former councillors who are now MPs, and Local Government Minister Grant Shapps who said: “Those who hold public office need to lead by example.”

A fine example Barnet Council. Shame on you.