Councillors cost taxpayer £930k last year, Council figures reveal

Sefton’s councillors cost the taxpayer over £930,000 during the 2021-22 financial year, according to figures published by Sefton Council.

The Members’ Allowances End Of Year statement showed councillors receiving an average of £12,000 each before the amount is topped up with employers’ National Insurance contributions.

Sefton Council has 66 serving councillors, with the financial year including a local election, meaning 74 councillors received contributions in 2021-22.

Allowances totalled £888,071.99, with an additional £43,264.39 spent on employers’ National Insurance.

Serving councillors are currently entitled to a £9,590.40 basic allowance each year as compensation for their time. This figure can be supplemented with a number of Special Responsibility Allowances for sitting on various boards and committees.

Sefton Council’s Cabinet members were each eligible for additional payments reaching up to £15,803.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Maher received the largest amount of contributions, pocketing a total of £33,316.51 from the £9,590 basic allowance, £23,705.28 SRA and £20.83 Broadband Allowance.

Mayor Clare Carragher received an allowance totalling £19,198.30.

20 of the 74 listed councillors accepted an optional Broadband Allowance of approximately £20 each.

Sefton Council’s allowance spending has fallen over the past decade. While the basic allowance has technically increased, this has not matched inflation. When adjusted, Sefton Council spent £1,326,514.37 in 2011-12.