The deputy leader of a council in Nottinghamshire has defended a 2% increase to elected members' allowances.
According to documents from Broxtowe Borough Council a 2% increase to cabinet members' allowances has been permitted for the 2022/23 financial year.
By law councils must periodically appoint an "independent remuneration panel" to assess the allowances paid to elected members.
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In Broxtowe the panel has allowed for a 2% rise across the board.
Councillor Steve Carr, the deputy leader of the council who represents Beeston North for the Liberal Democrats, told Nottinghamshire Live while the amount paid to members is set to go up, the number of members receiving allowances will decrease.
This is because the council is changing its governance structure.
"Overall the number of people getting allowances will be going down," he said.
"We are moving from a committee system to a cabinet system. It means portfolio holders will have even more responsibility under these new plans.
"This has all gone through the independent remuneration panel and if you compare it to it to other councils around us we have not been excessive."
The rates relate to the newly proposed cabinet model and it is expected the council will formally adopt a new cabinet system of governance at its full council meeting in May 2022.
This will bring it in line with all other models of governance in place across councils in Nottinghamshire.
It comes as the borough council has proposed a council tax rise, which will be discussed on March 2.
The council may choose to recommend that the basic amount of council tax in 2022/23 is increased by £5 from £171.85 to £176.85 (for Band D properties), and by 2% in 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Even with the pay rise, however, the allowances are relatively low when compared to other local authorities.
The leader of the council and Labour councillor for Eastwood Hill Top, Milan Radulovic, would see his allowance rise from £13,829 to £14,105.
Deputy leader Steve Carr's allowance would rise from £6,223 to £6,347.
Comparatively the leader of Ashfield District Council, Jason Zadrozny, is paid £19,851, for example.
The Broxtowe mayor position, currently held by Stapleford North independent councillor Richard MacRae, would see a rise from £4,840 to £4,937.
This is low compared to Mansfield, for example, where the mayor receives £15,364.25.
Most cabinet members, including portfolio holders for finance or housing, currently receive an allowance of £4,840, rising to £4,937 if the increase is approved.
Again this is low compared to Ashfield, where cabinet members receive £11,911, or Gedling, where members receive an allowance of £7,393.
Broxtowe's total budget currently sits at £287,397.24 for elected member allowances, compared to £263,150 in Newark, £330,000 in Rushcliffe, £467,940 in Ashfield, £293,200 in Gedling, £318,324.71 in Bassetlaw and £427,794 in Mansfield.
Councillor Carr added: "If you work it out, for the number of hours we work, it is not even anywhere near living wage.
"It is good value for money. Many of the people in Beeston North who me and my wife deal with always think they get good value."
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