Tax payers to foot the bill for councillors' pensions (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Tax payers to foot the bill for councillors' pensions

TAX payers in Gloucestershire could face another increase on their bills - to pay for councillors' pensions.

And the county council opposition Tory group has slammed the move, branding it "appalling" and "a perk".

Under new Government regulations, county authorities are able to pay out pensions to members.

Councillors can pay six percent of their £8,000 annual allowance into a pension pot and the council will then inject a further 12 to 15 percent from tax payers' cash.

Gloucestershire is one of the first councils to consider the move. But the county's Tory finance spokesman Cllr Raymond Theodoulou has criticised the proposal.

He said: "People are paying quite substantial amounts of their own income on council tax already.

"This is unacceptable to most people in that we're squeezing the tax payers - it's appalling timing.

"It's quite inappropriate that, even if we're told under law we can grant ourselves pensions, we should have this perk."

Other South West authorities considering the move include Bath and North East Somerset.

It comes at a time when some people are calling for council tax to be axed altogether, following large increases, which have seen many bills top £1,000 for the first time.

The bill is made up of payments to the county council, district council, police authority and local parish or town councils but the county's share is by far the largest.

Despite the criticism, the county's Labour leader Cllr Peter Clarke defended the pension proposal, which will be discussed by the full council on November 19.

He said time constraints meant that for many lead councillors, their position is a full-time job.

He said: "You have to give up your job as a leader or cabinet member but you would expect to be able to carry your pension through with you. "I doubt many councillors will avail themselves of it.

"It certainly isn't a perk. I think the Conservatives are attacking anything financial, which is their right and we'd expect them to do it."