Councillor takes pay cut and urges colleagues to do same

A TORY councillor today called on his colleagues to follow his lead and take a pay cut to show solidarity with Edinburgh residents suffering in the recession.

Gordon Buchan, councillor for the Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart ward, volunteered for a 10 per cent salary cut when elected in 2007.

The 1,583 sliced off his annual salary is handed back to the city council and Councillor Buchan – who also works full-time as a regional development director for transport consultants Halcrow – today called on other councillors to consider doing the same as thousands of workers across the Capital are facing redundancy in the next year.

Including salaries and expenses, the city's 58 councillors cost taxpayers about 1.2 million every year. But salaries range from Cllr Buchan's 14,254 a year, to 47,516 for council leader Jenny Dawe.

There was a mixed response to the proposal from councillors today, with some claiming they could not afford the cut, while others saying it should be put to the test of full council.

Cllr Buchan said: "I made a pledge before the election that I would not claim full salary as a councillor, as many people in my ward would be on fixed incomes by either low wages or by fixed pensions.

"In this current economic situation I do think that politicians should lead by example and at least consider what they receive as remuneration.

"Many of our constituents are suffering in these conditions. What I have done may not suit everyone's situation in the council. It would be an individual choice for each councillor to make."

He added: "I have not claimed anything else as councillor except for my bus pass which I do use to get to and from the City Chambers and wherever possible to get to meetings in my ward. My combined expenses and salary figures have been the lowest of any councillor in the city."

Many councillors, including those with major portfolios such as environment leader Robert Aldridge, have full-time or part-time jobs in addition to their council duties. Among the ranks of councillors are taxi drivers, publicans, housing officers, scientists and parliamentary officers.

SNP councillor Norman Work, vice-convener of the city's housing committee, said: "It is a lot easier for people with full-time jobs to make these sorts of statements.

"I work full-time as a councillor and I think I offer pretty good value. There are a lot of days where I leave the house at 7am and don't get back until 10pm with all the meetings and commitments."

Earlier this week the News revealed how the amount of expenses claimed by city councillors has gone down.

The annual table revealed local politicians claimed 49,958 for travel, food and other expenses in 2008-9 – nearly half the total of three years ago.

The city's Labour leader, Andrew Burns, said:

"Local councillor's circumstances do vary widely, with many having an additional source of regular employment and income, whilst others do not."