COUNCILLORS in Christchurch have voted themselves an increase in allowances despite it being branded “the wrong thing at the wrong time”.

The move will increase the annual spend on allowances in the small borough from £131,861 to £154,600 although the allowance for many committee chairmen has been cut to mitigate the rises.

Eleven members voted for the changes, five abstained and three voted against.

One of the rebels, Cllr Denise Jones told her colleagues: “These are austere times, things are very difficult and we have to take steps and cut back on some things we would like to provide.

“My ward, Somerford, is one of the most deprived in the district.

“I can’t look the people of my ward in the face and say yes, times are difficult and you can’t have this but by the way we are going to have different members’ allowances.”

An independent panel of advisers, who examined the council’s current scheme, recommended significant changes to the level of basic allowance as well changes to the special responsibility allowance.

Under the panel’s recommendations the total for allowances would have risen to £167,422.

But while accepting the findings of the independent report, council leader, Cllr Ray Nottage said that he worked to revise the figures to reflect the reality of the current economic climate.

He said: “I note the panel’s recommendations to increase the basic allowance to £4,500 but we believe that we should recommend a figure of £4,072 as the allowance for 2012/13.

“Only when we feel that we are on a position to be able to afford any further increase to this figure will we do so.”

Cllr David Jones added: “The Chancellor said that ‘we are all in this together’ so how do we turn around to people out there and say we are all in this together except us.”

The new scheme will come into action from May this year.

Main changes for 2012/13

• Basic allowances – from £3,765.60 to £4,072

• Allowances for five portfolio holders will be set at the same level as the basic allowance - £4,072

• Leader – Cllr Ray Nottage – from £9,414 to £10,180

• Chairman of Resources – Cllr Mike Duckworth - from £5,648.40 to £4,072

• Chairman of Community Services – Cllr Sally Derham-Wilkes - from £5,648.40 to £4,072

• Chairman of Planning Control – Cllr Colin Jamieson - from £3,765.60 to £3,258

• Chairman of Licensing – Cllr David Flagg - from £3,765.60 to £2,036

•Christchurch councillors allowances 2010-2011 – under previous scheme before elections *=still a councillor.

• Cllr Brett Bader, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Colin Bungey*, basic + special responsibility - £5,830

• Cllr David Davies, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Sally Derham-Wilkes*, basic + special responsibility + travel - £9,543.25

• Cllr Mike Duckworth*, basic + special responsibility + travel (designated driver) - £10,577.01

• Cllr Lucy Filer, basic + special responsibility - £7,532

• Cllr David Flagg*, basic + special responsibility - £7,076

• Cllr David Fox, basic + special responsibility - £4,707.40

• Cllr Nick Geary*, basic + special responsibility - £7,046

• Cllr Alan Griffiths, basic + special responsibility + travel - £10,274.30

• Cllr Peter Hall*, basic + special responsibility - £5,918

• Cllr Colin Jamieson*, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Trish Jamieson*, basic - £3,766

• Cllr David Jones*, basic + special responsibility – £7,532

• Cllr Denise Jones*, basic - £3,766

• Cllr John Lofts*, basic + special responsibility + travel + subsistence - £7515.09

• Cllr Myra Mawbey*, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Fred Neale*, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Ray Nottage*, basic + travel - £4045.60

• Cllr Christine Payne, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Julie Petrie, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Josie Spencer, basic - £3,766

• Cllr Sue Spittle*, basic + travel- £3,827.20

• Cllr Eric Spreadbury, basic - £3,766

Christchurch councillors also county councillors

• Cllr Colin Jamieson, Cllr Peter Hall, Cllr David Jones