COUNCIL leader Stanley Henig is set to receive a massive £10,000 in allowances, making him the highest paid council boss in the county.

An independent review of councillors allowances has decided Mr Henig's special responsibility allowance should be doubled to reflect his high profile.

But others accuse the council leader of claiming a salary for what should essentially be a voluntary role.

"It looks very much like a pay increase for the council hierarchy," said the leader of the Morecambe Bay Independents, Cllr Tricia Heath.

"He is basically being paid a living salary and on his recent track record we don't think he's worth it. If it was based on performance - he'd be paying us!"

The independent panel, chaired by Prof Alan Mercer of Lancaster University's Management School, was set up following last year's controversial 600 per cent rise in Cllr Henig's allowances.

It looked at how the £150,000 in the council's allowance coffers should be allocated and, as well as big increases for the top councillors, decided that a flat rate of £1,500 should be paid to all members.

Cllr Heath added: "We are concerned that a flat rate will leave some councillors, especially those in full time work, out of pocket. This worries us because we could end up with only retired and self-employed people standing for the council."

Cllr Carol Broad said that the council leader's allowance increase sent out all the wrong signals at at time when the council was making cutbacks.

She said: "Stan is getting what is basically an average Lancaster wage. It's generally acknowledged that people go into politics to do something for the good of the community, not to make a living from it."

Chairman of the independent panel, Prof Mercer, said: "I think the panel's got it about right. I believe we've got value for money and will be looking at the allowances again in about 12 months' time."

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