Call for the resignation of the Leader and Cabinet of Wiltshire Council

On Tuesday 12th November, Wiltshire Council agreed to give a substantial increase in allowances to its members only weeks after making 252 staff redundant.

It means Jane Scott, Wiltshire Council Leader will see her allowance rise by 36.5 per cent a year, affording her an additional £14,892 on her present £37,335, bringing the figure to £52,227.

The increases, to be backdated from May's elections, those Councillors who are members of the Council's cabinet seeing allowances increase by at least 22 per cent from £15,101 to £18,433 a year.

During the summer, the Council ran a voluntary redundancy programme in which 252 front-line staff decided to leave the organisation.

Seven of the Council's 18 associate directors took voluntary redundancy. The remaining associate directors have seen their wages rise by 7.5 per cent, on average.

The rises for those at the top come at the time when front line staff are seeing their numbers reduced, duties increased and minimal pay rises.

This is to the detriment of services and shows a total disregard for service users, the front-line and back office staff at the Council, as well as the Council Tax and Business Rate payers of the county of Wiltshire.