AN OUTSPOKEN member of Wellington Town Council has said he looks forward to seeing a civic award winner in court over a row about whether co-opted councillors receive a financial allowance.

Cllr John Thorne has spoken in favour of all councillors receiving an annual allowance – regardless of whether they have been voted in by council taxpayers in an election or co-opted onto the council by elected members.

But resident Dave Mitton believes that is wrong and those councillors who are co-opted onto the council are not entitled to an allowance because they have not been elected – a stance taken by the Somerset Association of Local Councils.

And Mr Mitton, who himself is a former town councillor and had been a long-standing chairman of SALC until recently, told the town council that it was being “unlawful” in paying co-opted members an allowance.

“I know it’s unfair – some co-opted councillors work harder than those who are elected,” he said at the council’s monthly meeting on November 4.

“But paying co-opted councillors an allowance is unlawful and you (the council) need to be careful.”

He said that he would “take things further” and seek legal advice if the council continued to pay allowances to co-opted members.

But Cllr Thorne said: “If Mr Mitton wants to take action over this – I look forward to seeing him in court.”

Cllr Thorne said he had looked through the regulations and found nothing to say that co-opted members could not be paid, just that only elected councillors could receive an allowance. It was his view that co-opted councillors had been “elected” onto the council by councillors.

“It is my opinion that co-opted councillors are totally entitled to receive the allowance,” said Cllr Thorne.

Mr Mitton was this summer presented with a civic award by councillors in recognition of his service to the town including his work as chairman of Wellington Community Centre’s management committee and other organisations.

And town clerk Dave Farrow, at the time of the award-making, said: “Mr Mitton has also brought prestige to Wellington by holding the office of chairman of SALC for many years, stepping down only recently.”

It would appear, ironically, that Mr Mitton’s experience gained with SALC could put the legislative spotlight on the council over its payment of councillor allowances.

Some councillors are co-opted onto a council by serving councillors if a vacancy becomes available and there is not a strong enough call from taxpayers to hold a by-election.

But Cllr Mike McGuffie said: “It is unlawful to pay co-opted councillors an allowance. I have read about it and it’s unlawful and we’ve been told that it’s unlawful.”

Councillors voted in favour of paying all councillors an allowance of £775 per annum with the Mayor receiving an extra 50 per cent. It was also agreed that any councillors would pay back the allowance if they left the council – the amount based on a pro rata rate.

The allowance had been recommended by Somerset Council’s Parish, Town and City Independent Remuneration Panel.