Councillors in Leeds were handed a total of just over £2m in allowances and expenses during the last financial year, figures have revealed.
Members of the country’s second largest local authority received £2,085,348 in total during 2011-12.
The figure was slightly down on the £2,092,110 paid out the previous year and reflects an ongoing freeze in members’ allowances.
Coun Keith Wakefield, council leader, said: “Allowances are still where they were three or four years ago.
“Some allowances have been cut. In last year’s budget there was a three per cent reduction in some of the allowances paid to councillors with senior responsibilities.
“It is right that politicians make sacrifices at a time when low paid public sector workers are facing such difficult times.
“We have to say to the people of Leeds we understand how difficult these days are.”
All councillors now receive a basic allowance to help them carry out their public duties. The arrangements, introduced over 10 years ago, replaced the former system under which councillors claimed mileage, meals and other expenses for carrying out their civic work.
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The basic allowance in Leeds currently stands at £14,781. In addition, members who take on extra responsibilities also receive a special responsibility allowance (SRA). The SRA for the council leader is £38,259, while executive board members receive £22,773 and scrutiny board chairs £20,040.
The figures show that during 2011-12, 63 of the 99-strong authority received some form of SRA. The 2011-12 allowances list contains amounts that were due to former members of the authority.
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