Councillors have rejected a recommendation they receive more money in allowances, saying it would be wrong considering financial pressures.

Medway Council unanimously rejected an independent pay review’s suggestion to increase the allowances for certain councillors.

They said it was not the right time considering the cost worries facing both the council and its residents.

The report by the Independent Remuneration Panel suggested the money councillors get for being a portfolio holder should increase from £17,211 to £18,358.40 per year.

It also recommended members who are chairpersons of overview and scrutiny committees should have their allowance increased from £11,474 to £13,769 - a 20% increase.

However, the administration decided to alter the item so councillors would not receive the pay rise, saying it was not appropriate due to the budget pressures for the council and the difficulties residents are facing financially.

Council leader Vince Maple (Lab) “We are in a very challenging set of financial circumstances as a council. We have a budget gap to fill this year and next year.

“With that backdrop, we feel it is appropriate to not take forward the two recommendations that have been laid out for increases on specific benchmarks.

“We believe that’s a right and appropriate thing to do when residents of Medway are having to see difficult decisions taken by this council.”

The rise in allowance was recommended by the independent panel as they said the current remunerations for cabinet members and committee chairs did not match the level of time and work which goes into fulfilling those roles.

But the council voted unanimously for the altered item which meant the allowances provided to those roles would remain the same.

These allowances are additional to the basic allowance all council members receive of £11,474, meaning a portfolio holder is entitled to £28,685 and a scrutiny chairperson is entitled to £22,948 following this decision.

Tory leader Cllr Adrian Gulvin supported the alteration to the proposal saying the report made the recommendations following its recognition of the work councillors do but now was not the right time.

He said: “I’m happy to support this and support the amendment, that was a good decision by the administration.

“I made the point that the workload for portfolio holders and the like was very high, and that was accepted in the report, but I think you’re absolutely right this isn’t the time for any increases.”

He also added some changes may need to be looked at in the future relating to uncapped support for councillors related to caring responsibilities to ensure they could not be abused, but supported the proposal.

The council voted unanimously for the changed version which meant councillors would not see a rise in allowances for portfolio holders and scrutiny committee chairs.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Maple added: “Every four years every council has to have an independent remuneration panel report.

“In their report they made a couple of recommendations about putting up allowances, but, as is well documented, we’re having huge financial challenges in Medway so my council group put forward the opportunity not to take those recommendations.

“I was pleased to see cross-party support on that.”