More than £1.2 million was paid out in allowances and expenses between 82 Cheshire East councillors in 2021-22, latest figures show.
Cheshire East Council has published details of the allowances paid to elected members during the last financial year, as required by law.
These include the basic allowance, the special responsibility allowance, dependants’ carers’ allowances, travel and subsistence and co-optees’ allowances.
All 82 councillors received a basic allowance of £12,351 in 2021-22 if they were a councillor for the whole 12-month period between April 1 2021 and March 31 2022.
But 31 of those councillors also received extra money through “special responsibility allowance”.
That amount ranged from as little as £554 for Cllr Steve Edgar to as much as £28,156 for Cllr Sam Corcoran, leader of the council.
Other councillors received special responsibility allowances for taking up positions such as chair or vice chair of council committees.
In total, just over £1 million was paid out in basic allowances, with £221,000 paid out in special responsibility.
Just over £10,000 was paid out for general and travel expenses incurred.
A CEC spokesperson said: “These allowances represent a reimbursement for the time and personal costs incurred by elected members while carrying out their responsibilities on behalf of the council and the people of Cheshire East.
“Cheshire East is a large unitary authority, with 82 elected members, and the total cost of allowances is proportionate and in line with most other unitary authorities in England.”
Members of the public can view the schedule of allowances paid on the council’s website here.
Copies of the information are also available to members of the public – on request – by writing to Cheshire East Council, Democratic Services Team, Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach CW11 1HZ.
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