LABOUR TO FORCE THROUGH PAY RISES FOR NEW LEADER

At tonight's Civic Affairs Committee (30 June 2025), Cambridge City Council's ruling Labour group voted to increase their new Leader's allowances to £43,000 annually, ignoring the independent advice they commissioned - and in a year when they cut council staff and services to the public.

Labour first attempted this move at last month's Civic Affairs committee but withdrew following confusion and dispute amongst their own ranks and following challenge from Liberal Democrat councillors. This led to the original Independent Panel recommendations being taken to Council and approved with cross-party support.

Tonight's decision returns to Labour's original plan to override expert recommendations and create a system allowing councillors to stack multiple allowances. The independent panel had already provided above-inflation increases after carefully reviewing evidence from across the council and comparing with practice elsewhere.

The new system allows the Leader, a non-executive role, to earn over £40k annually (basic allowance plus enhanced leadership payment plus external roles) - more than many Cambridge residents and considerably higher than other district council leaders in the area.

For the Liberal Democrats, Cllr Jamie Dalzell said after the committee:

"Labour has shown their true priorities - a pay grab for their leader, while cutting services for residents. They've ignored independent advice specifically designed to prevent politicians helping themselves to public money.

"Previous council leaders accepted what independent experts recommended, but Labour's new leader apparently needs more. They're treating independent recommendations like a pick-and-mix counter - taking what suits them, discarding what doesn't, and ignoring the careful calculations that balanced all council roles.

"This is exactly what's wrong with modern politics - politicians putting their own career advancement before public service. While Labour councillors calculate pay rises for themselves, they've cut council staff, closed public toilets, and reduced street cleaning. These are not the priorities Cambridge residents expect.

"Labour has shown they'll make up their own rules when independent processes don't give them what they want. If this is how they treat local taxpayers and expert advice, it raises serious questions about their fitness for higher office.

"We will continue challenging this when the full council debates it in July. Cambridge deserves councillors who serve the public, not themselves."