Council leader's allowance to rise by £1,100

The allowance paid to the leader of City of Wolverhampton Council is set to increase by more than £1,100 this year.

Stephen Simkins, who leads the Labour-run authority, will receive a special responsibility allowance of £33,500 for holding the role.

The rise was approved at the council's annual meeting on Wednesday following recommendations from the Independent Renumeration Panel (IRP) which sets councillors' pay.

Celia Hibbert, the leader of the main opposition group Reform UK, will also see her allowance rise to £15,000 from £14,364.

Each of the council's 60 elected members receives a basic allowance of £13,340 a year.

Cabinet members receive £17,958, while deputy leader Steve Evans receives £23,940, which will remain unchanged.

Committee chairs and vice chairs also receive extra payments, as well as the mayor and deputy mayor.

The IRP had recommended reducing some of those additional allowances but those proposals were rejected by councillors.

Some increases were also made outside the panel's recommendations, including the rise in the opposition leader's allowance.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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