THE leader of Hertsmere has pledged a commitment to freeze councillor allowances, including members from Potters Bar, while defending the decision not to adopt an opposition motion of a 20 per cent cut.

At a council meeting on November 17, a proposal moved by Liberal Democrat group leader Roger Kutchinsky, and seconded by Labour group leader Ann Harrison, suggested members took a 20 per cent reduction and donated the money to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and Hertfordshire Police Authority.

The motion was defeated and has since been criticised by Councillor Harrison as being treated with “contempt” and “dismissed out of hand” with no counter offer being made.

Councillor Harrison said: “Officers are taking a pay freeze, and councillors are offering nothing. Why should we be exempt.”

Under the current constitution members are able to forgo any amount of their allowance they wish, however neither opposition leader currently chooses to donate 20 per cent of their salary because they argue it would go back into the “council pot”.

Leader of the council Morris Bright said the motion was “disingenuous”.

Councillor Kutchinsky had forwarded the proposal on the basis that members should “share the pain” of upcoming spending cuts, however Councillor Bright argues allowances are in-line with savings being made at the council.

Councillor Bright defended the standpoint saying: “We are not cutting staff salaries costs, they are frozen.

“Last year allowances were frozen and I will be recommending to members that they continue to be frozen just as staff pay is frozen except for the lowest paid. It is not true to say we are doing nothing.

“I believe the majority of councillors work hard for their electorate. We are accountable at the ballot box.

“I am proud of the work most of our councillors do and believe that a basic allowance of £15 a day to be available for many meetings and to speak to residents at any reasonable time – including weekends – is fair.

“At the moment we are looking to save money – around £3 million in four years, save jobs, save services.

“We are doing this through a considered budget process involving councillors, residents and outside agencies. Together we are working a way forward to save services and protect residents needs.

“We froze council tax last year. We aim to do the same again while we continue to invest in services such as improved recycling. This is considered work.

“No decisions have been made on cutting grants to any groups or organisations. Labour and the Liberal Democrats should not be scaremongering in this way.

“We are still awaiting to hear our final grant settlement from Government around December 9 and then the budget process starts in earnest.”

Councillor Kutchinsky said he supported the commitment to freeze allowances but would have liked the council to have “gone further”.