DECISION makers provide premier league quality at third division price.

Councillors who supervise a massive near £260 million annual budget receive fourth rate full-back pay of less than £m.

And the individual cash allowances go only part way to covering the personal cost of helping run one of the country's biggest boroughs, says Wigan Council finance chairman Cllr Brian Strett who claimed £15,262 last year.

Cllr Strett, whose Council and family commitments forced him to give-up his job, highlighted the demands exerted on key figures who help keep the borough running.

Commenting on the latest allowances table released by the council, he told The Journal: "There comes a stage when it becomes impossible to combine everything.

"I needed to care for my wife who has a continuing illness problem, and to try to link Council work with even a part-time job is extremely difficult.

"The allowances go in some way to offset this but it doesn't compensate.

"These days local authorities have to be run professionally and properly at both officer and political levels.

"We can't just rely on those who come forward who have time on their hands. It needs expertise and skills to help run the authority."

And next year all Councillors will receive a basic payment of £6,000 each, with enhancement for those with special responsibilities such as council leader, deputy leader, committee chairmen and vice chairmen.

Cllr Strett predicted the total cost to authority would be much the same under the new system which has been promoted by the present and previous Government.

"The annual cost will be around about the same.

"The allowances system was becoming very unwieldy.

"Wigan has not lagged behind but we have watched to see how others fared under the fixed-rate scheme and we have learned from their experiences.

"We will have much reduced administration costs."

The £6,000 per annum figure was vetted by an independent body made up from locals from all walks of life.

These reviewers and the authority's external auditors agreed £6,000 was a fair figure.

The allowance includes £3,500 to offset expenditure in attending meetings and other Council work. The rest is compensation for the demands of their public role.

To qualify for the full amount members have to attend at least 60 per cent of their allocated meeting or they may have to repay some of the amount.

Council leader Peter Smith received the top allowance - £23,517.50.

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