The Stockport Express has published two letters about councillor expenses this week.

One, from Robert Whalley, makes (again) the completely false claim that councillors have awarded ourselves a 5% increase in our allowances.

The increase this year was zero, last year was one percent. The 5% claim is simply untrue.

Then we have a letter from Eric Kime suggesting (I think – it’s not entirely clear) that no councillor should have any allowance at all.  It’s a lovely idea, but many of us – myself included – simply couldn’t afford to do the job without some form of financial compensation.

I do feel strongly that councillors should get no increase in our allowances whilst council employees also have a pay freeze.