A RECOMMENDATION has been made for some Penarth town councillors to receive members’ allowances.

At a meeting of the Penarth Town Council finance and HR committee at West House on Stanwell Road on Thursday, December 21, members voted in favour of the recommendation from the Independent Remuneration Panel Wales relating to the payments for the 2018/2019 financial year.

The IRP Wales suggests paying some senior town councillors £500 a year.

Currently, Penarth town councillors are not paid a formal salary but are compensated for time spent on council business

Cllr Mike Cuddy, leader of the council, said that Penarth is one of the bigger town and community councils as it has an expenditure of more than £2000.

The recommended sum is that of £2500 which would equate to £500 each for the leader and the five chairmen and chairwomen of the committees.

He added that the payments had already been budgeted for.

Each member offered the payment has the choice of whether to accept the payment or not.

Cllr Liz Fahy suggested the sum of £2500 for the leader and the chairman and chairwoman of each committee bearing in mind that they may be restructuring the committees in the future.

Nearby Barry Town Council also recently discussed the possibility of paying members allowances based on the IRP’s 2017 report recommendations.

The policy innovation and development committee of Penarth Town Council is due to discuss the proposal in the new year before a final decision on whether to accept the recommendation is made.