Council defends £130k councillor allowance hike amid controversial consultation on 7 schools' futures
North Tyneside Council’s Labour administration has defended a controversial consultation on the future of seven schools amid backlash over recently approved pay rises for councillors.
The local authority’s decision to launch a consultation on the potential closure of Monkseaton Middle School and the merging of six other primary and first schools has sparked outrage among Tory opposition councillors.
The Conservatives have lambasted the move which came just weeks after the Labour administration voted in new uplifts for councillors allowances, totalling an extra £130,000 a year. The increase was labelled “obscene” by Tory councillor David Lilly at a full council meeting on September 18.
Following the vote, allowances for council cabinet members jumped from from £3,332 to £11,176 with base level councillor allowances increasing from £10,829 to £11,176. The increase in councillors allowances was recommended by an independent rumuneration panel.
Conservative councillor John Johnson said: “Labour’s financial mismanagement of the council is now forcing the closure of four more schools in North Tyneside, meaning there will be millions of pounds more debt on the council’s balance sheet – on top of the closure of Monkseaton High School which has already been confirmed.”
On the increased allowances, Coun Johnson continued: “This contrast is one of the most shameful examples of political priorities I have ever witnessed. It shows, in no uncertain terms, how little North Tyneside Labour truly cares about our children, our schools and the future of education in our community.”
A North Tyneside Labour Group spokesperson said: “The Conservatives are wrong to claim this is about council finances. Schools in North Tyneside manage their own budgets, not the council.
“When pupil numbers fall, schools face real difficulties balancing their books and maintaining the full range of opportunities children deserve. This review is about stabilising the education system so that we can continue to provide high-quality education now and for the future.
“If schools don’t have enough pupils, they risk getting into financial difficulty and standards inevitably suffer. No child benefits from being in a school that is unsustainable or unable to offer the broad curriculum they should expect.
“That’s why this consultation is about making sure every child in North Tyneside has access to strong, sustainable schools that can provide the very best start in life.”