Council defers discussion on supporting or opposing proposed MLA pay raise
Cllr Shaun Harkin ‘concerned about proposal to increase MLA pay by £19,000’
Derry City and Strabane District Council has agreed to defer further discussion on an expected £19,000 (38%) pay hike for Stormont MLAs until its next full meeting.
The move followed a motion brought to Council on Wednesday by Cllr Shaun Harkin (PBP) and seconded by Cllr Gary Donnelly (Independent), opposing the pay rise.
Cllr Harkin’s motion said: “Council will write to the Stormont Executive expressing our opposition to a 38%, £19,000, pay hike for Stormont MLAs who are already paid a basic salary of more than £51,000, which is more than double the average industrial wage and way above the average wage in this Council area."
The Foyleside councillor said he had voted against the increase to the Scheme of Allowances for Derry and Strabane councillors.
He added: “I did so even though I was sympathetic to some of the arguments I heard from members who supported it because our members here have a basic payment form the Council of a little bit above £15,000 and the Scheme of Allowances increase would have brought it up to somewhere in the region of £17,500 - not a lot of money.
“I stand over my vote but I am very concerned about the proposal to increase MLA pay by 38%, around £19,000. MLAs are already paid more than £51,000. This is way above the average industrial wage for people across the North. It is way above the average wage in Derry.
“I would argue MLAs don’t actually need a pay rise and if they do, well so does everybody else and they deserve a 38% wage increase as well.
“The issue here is MLAs are going to give themselves a huge wage by any standards and the Lucid poll that came out this week tells us exactly what people think about what is happening. An overwhelming majority of people who were polled
across the North opposed this raise for MLAs - around 88% when it came to working class people. That is because working class people don’t support the idea that well paid MLAs should be given a 38% pay rise when people in our society can’t afford
their rent, can't afford their groceries, are struggling with mortgages, and are struggling with school uniform payments,” said Cllr Harkin.
Cllr Donnelly highlighted that Derry and Strabane councillors were paid one third of what MLAs were paid.
“MLAs are getting 300% more,” he added, “and people in this chamber had an issue.”
“They are only in this chamber because other colleagues in other parts of the Six Counties didn’t have an issue.
“Cllr Harkin used the word ‘mockery’ and it is a complete mockery that [some councillors] are supporting a pay rise that will be over 100% of what people in this Council get as an elected representative, but yet, didn’t think they should get a raise.”