Reform UK-led County Council dubbed “fascists” after slashing opposition leader pay without evidence or justification

Derbyshire County Councillor Alex Dale, Cabinet Member For Young People. Photo By Eddie Bisknell.

Reform UK’s Derbyshire administration has been dubbed “fascists” after a report found they slashed the pay of the opposition leader with a complete lack of any evidence or justification.

In March, at Derbyshire County Council’s full council meeting, the Reform UK administration brought in a last-minute move to cut the pay of the opposition group’s leader, Conservative Councillor Alex Dale, from £18,840 to £12,560 – a reduction of £6,280.

At the time, Reform leader Councillor Alan Graves, who has an allowance of £41,868 as leader, a councillor allowance of £13,392 and a further £13,709 as a Derby city councillor, totalling £68,969, said: “You don’t need allowances to scrutinise anybody. You can still hold us to account.”

He said other authorities paid their opposition leader less and that the £6,280 reduction was to bring it in line with others.

Cllr Graves’s administration also froze the proposed increase to all councillor allowances.

Following the March meeting, at which the move was dubbed “spiteful, mean and uncalled for”, the independent remuneration committee, which assesses and advises on councillor pay, has investigated the issue.

It says it was “concerned, disappointed and rather surprised” that it was not consulted before the late move, presented minutes before March’s meeting, saying it was not aware of a reduction in workload or responsibilities.

A report from the committee now calls for the original rate – calculated as 45 per cent of the council leader’s pay – should be reinstated, rather than keeping the current 30 per cent rate.

The independent panel found no consistent level for which opposition party leaders were paid at other councils, finding “no justification” for the move to lower Derbyshire’s.

Opposition leaders are paid in excess of the original £18,840 at many other councils, it found, including Reform-run Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire county councils (£26,195 and £22,371 respectively).

A report details: “Members of the panel noted that they received no evidence on why the allowance was thought to be too high, so they could see no justification for lowering it. 

“They reiterated that their previous recommendations on the allowances scheme had always been done in a methodical and evidence-based way and this recent change was out of keeping with this. 

“The panel commented that a healthy and effective opposition was a cornerstone of a democratically elected organisation and the change made in March showed little evidence of respect for this principle. 

“The role that the opposition has in a council is very important and the time commitment and therefore the allowance payable should reflect this.”

It also said: “It was not considered sensible to substantially change allowances in this time period when Local Government Reorganisation is imminent.”

Cllr Dale told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I’m pleased that the independent remuneration panel has now undertaken the review that I argued for at the original council meeting in March.

“At the time I said that, if members genuinely believed the allowance needed reviewing, the proper course was to refer it to the panel rather than make a political decision on the floor of the council.

“I’ve always believed that councillors should not determine their own allowances. That’s precisely why independent remuneration panels exist. 

“I said throughout this process that I would respect whatever conclusion the panel reached.

“Had they recommended reducing the allowance, I would have accepted that because it would have been the product of an independent, evidence-based review.

“This has never just been about the allowance for one councillor’s role. It’s about protecting the principle that independent bodies, not political majorities, should determine councillors’ remuneration. 

“Once political administrations begin using their voting strength to reduce allowances attached to opposition roles, without independent justification, it risks setting a very dangerous precedent. 

“A healthy democracy depends on effective scrutiny and an opposition that is able to hold those in power to account without fear or favour, and I hope all councillors will now respect the panel’s independent recommendation.”

Fellow Conservative, Cllr Nigel Gourlay, said: “Fascism does not begin with tanks on the lawn. It begins when those in power decide the opposition should be poorer, quieter, and easier to ignore. Reform can object to the comparison if they like, but they should stop supplying the evidence.”

Cllr Graves was approached for comment and asked if his group would stand by its decision or reinstate the allowance, but he chose not to respond.