COUNCIL DEBATES PENSION OPTION

2.53.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Jun 2008

The full meeting of the County Council tomorrow will debate the issue of making a pension scheme available for councillors. Local people who wish to become councillors risk losing pensions rights by committing to spending time in public service. The council needs better representation from working people, young women with families, people from ethnic minorities and those on modest incomes. Currently if a person takes unpaid time off work they may suffer loss of pension rights and national insurance contributions.

Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for a council chamber more representative of local people of all ages. The average age of current county councillors in Gloucestershire is revealed to be over 60 years old.

Cllr Ceri Jones, Liberal Democrat, Bishops Cleeve says "I believe working people who want to devote time serving their local communities now should not be made to suffer financially when they are older. There are many public services affecting the daily life of working people which could be better run if representatives of those communities felt more able to become county councillors. Nobody should be deterred from becoming a councillor and representing their communities simply because they cannot afford to do so. Although I would not now wish to take it up myself, I believe we should be offering a pensions scheme to those who need it, in order to compensate for any loss of company or private pensions. In this way, we shall at least be taking some action to address one of the barriers preventing people on lower incomes from offering themselves for public service."

Councillors of working age may lose pensions rights in their employment, either by working part-time or by loss of promotion prospects. The value of the pensions to councillors after the 4 year term of office will be £450 per year. If the council agrees on Wednesday then people who suffer financially will have the opportunity to opt-in to the pensions scheme.

The introduction of a pensions scheme has been recommended by an Independent Review Panel (with no councillors involved) and agreed by the all-party Pensions Panel. The pensions scheme will be contained within the current county council budget and paid for from money already raised by the council. Pensions schemes for councillors are backed by the Local Government Association and have already been adopted by many councils in the South West.

Cllr Deryck Nash, Cirencester, Lib Dem finance spokesperson said "It is encouraging that the County Council and the pensions panel have worked hard to ensure that the cost of the introduction of pensions will be met from existing budgets at no extra cost to taxpayers. We really need a better cross-section of people from all backgrounds and ages represented at the council. This will be better for the running and scrutiny of public services to involve more local people and give them the opportunity to get involved. The average age of councillors is now over 60, and as one of the older members myself I do not think that this is good enough."