Labour Leader Pledges to Cut Members Allowances

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Lampton Park Conference Centre to be available for hire

Cllr Jagdish Sharma, the new Leader of the Council, announced at last night’s Annual Borough Council that Labour would substantially cut the basic Members Allowance and the Special Responsibility Allowances that Councillors receive for taking on extra duties. 

Cllr. Sharma said: “A report will be submitted to Borough Council in the very near future which will propose that the Members Basic Allowance will be reduced by 5%, and the Special Responsibility Allowances by 20%. I strongly feel that the community of Hounslow will suffer as a result of the budget decisions of the new Government, and Councillors can demonstrate that we are prepared to set an example to our residents. 

We have never agreed with the increases the previous Tory Administration awarded themselves, and now we can do something about it. 

On a separate matter, Cllr. Sharma has also instructed Council officers to fully market the Lampton Park Conference Centre (attached to the Civic Centre) for outside functions in order to maximise its full potential for generating income. 

Cllr. Sharma stated: “The Tories basically mothballed it as far as Hounslow residents were concerned as they were unable to use it, and have lost the Council hundreds of thousands of pounds in missed revenue. It is a disgraceful waste of an excellent space, and we are determined to let it out for community use as soon as possible”

 

May 27, 2010