Mayor Ben Houchen rejects £17,200 pay rise proposal

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 11:01 · Archive

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has rejected a £17,200 salary increase recommended by an independent pay review body.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has used his mayoral veto to reject a £17,200 pay rise recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel at a Tees Valley Combined Authority Cabinet meeting on 13 November. The increase would have raised his salary by 26.5%. His salary will remain at £65,000, where it has been since 2021/22, making him the lowest paid regional mayor in the country.

The Independent Remuneration Panel is a statutory independent body established to provide recommendations on allowances and pay arrangements for elected members and office holders. The combined authority cannot pay more than the panel recommends, although it may pay less.

Posting on social media, the Conservative mayor said: "At a time when bills are high and people are doing their best to make ends meet, the last thing anyone needs is their politicians spending time talking about their own pay." This is the second time Houchen has declined a pay rise, having previously refused a £15,000 uplift in 2023. During the meeting, Darlington Council leader Stephen Harker said he did not disagree with Houchen's decision, though he noted there are "ways and means" to ensure members' allowances increase over time in a way the public would accept as reasonable and fair. Stockton Council leader Lisa Evans said she recognised the authority was "out of kilter" with other combined authorities but that the timing was difficult given the authority is under a Best Value Notice.

How it is being reported

• Mayor turns down proposed pay rise of £17,200A 26.5% uplift - amounting to £17,200 - had been recommended by an independent pay review body.BBC Tees · 14 Nov, 10:44
• Mayor Ben Houchen vetoes independently proposed £17,200 pay riseLocal council leaders who spoke concurred with Mayor Ben Houchen regarding his decision to not accept a bigger salaryTeessideLive · 13 Nov, 16:02

In this story: Ben Houchen · Tees Valley Combined Authority · Darlington Council · Stockton Council · Stephen Harker · Lisa Evans · Independent Remuneration Panel

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