BARNSLEY’S councillors collectively pocketed more than £1m through annual allowances and expenses over the latest 12-month period, the Chronicle can reveal.

There are 63 councillors - three in 21 wards - and each received between £10,720 and £11,823 through a basic allowance, although recently-elected members and those who stepped down last year received much less.

In addition to their annual salary, some councillors receive special responsibility pay for carrying out extra duties, such as serving on the council’s ruling cabinet, or chairing committees including planning, scrutiny or licensing boards.

Barnsley Council leader Sir Steve Houghton was paid the most at £40,917, with deputy leader of the council Caroline Makinson second as she received more than £30,000.

Meanwhile Couns Wendy Cain, Robin Franklin, Robert Frost, James Higginbottom, Sharon Howard and Jo Newing all pocketed more than £25,000.

Couns Summer Risebury and Pooja Ramchandani - both Labour councillors who have stood down - received significantly less than most councillors.

Coun Ramchandani - who stood down due to health reasons - received £7,652 whilst Coun Risebury received nothing.

Mat Crisp was standing as a Liberal Democrat councillor in Darton East before he resigned in November after it was revealed he owed more than £100,000 in rent arrears at both the Salt House and Black and White Bar in the town centre.

In Text Promo Image

Despite standing down, he still received £7,305 - including more than £140 in mileage allowances.

Couns Sue Bellamy, Janine Bowler, Mandy Lowe-Flello, Cain and Newing all received £600 in travel expenses - the most of any councillor.

The council paid out £10,423 in mileage allowances last year in total - more than £1,000 less than last year.

The total paid to all councillors in allowances and expenses for the financial year was £1,012,231 a 0.6 per cent increase on the previous year’s £1,005,830.

Councillors’ basic rates collectively topped £723,000 - a drop from the previous figure of £727,000 - with extra responsibilities accounting for a further £277,000.

A spokesperson for Barnsley Council told the Chronicle: “All councillors receive a basic allowance in recognition of the work they do on behalf of the community, such as representing their constituents and attending council meetings.

“Members with extra responsibilities, for example, cabinet members and chairpersons of regulatory boards, also receive a ‘special responsibility allowance’ for the extra work involved.”

Robert Barnard - £15,139.03

Sue Bellamy - £15,282.18

Ruth Booker - £10,928.37

Janine Bowler - £12,423

Roy Bowser - £15,116

Alex Burnett - £10,928.37

Wendy Cain - £25,227.12

Alice Cave - £11,823

Trevor Cave - £26,134

Sam Christmas - £10,819.66

Anita Cherryholme - £15,116

John Clarke - £14,267.10

Dorothy Coates - £21,1281

Mat Crisp - £7,305.03

Neil Danforth - £1,269.05

Dickie Denton - £12,063

Karen Dyson - £19,860.77

Martin Dyson - £1,220.02

Brenda Eastwood - £12,496.74

Jeff Ennis - £21,369.90

Vicky Felton - £1,207.76

Peter Fielding - £1,440.66

Will Fielding - £13,802.68

Robin Franklin - £26,310

Robert Frost - £26,310

Andy Gillis - £1,645.87

Steve Green - £20,941

Dave Greenhough - £19,740.77

Paul Hands-Davis - £1,465.18

Joe Hayward - £21,061

James Higginbottom - £26,310

Steve Houghton - £40,917.60

Sharon Howard - £26,310

Steve Hunt - £11,823

Hannah Kitching - £18,873.89

Chris Lamb - £2,360.19

Dave Leech - £21,061

Jake Lodge - £11,823

Phil Lofts - £21,061

Mandy Lowe-Flello - £12,423

Caroline Makinson - £30,056.49

Pauline Markham - £21,181

Pauline McCarthy - £12,063

Kath Mitchell - £11,823

Abi Moore - £10,928.37

Martin Morrell - £11,254.50

Janine Moyes - £14,802.18

Paul Murray - £10,710.95

Jo Newing - £25,227.12

Martin O’Donoghue - £10,710.95

Kevin Osborne - £15,384.50

Ashley Peace - £15,116.00

Clive Pickering - £11,943.00

Jenny Platts - £2,675.36

Pooja Ramchandani - £7,730.01

Ken Richardson - £21,061

Summer Risebury - £0

Margaret Sheard - £13,694.05

Tim Shepherd - £12,359.78

Ian Shirt - £11,823

Trevor Smith - £12,063

Mick Stowe - £12,063

Nicola Sumner - £11,823

Sarah Tattersall - £11,943

Dave Webster - £11,943

David White - £12,063

Kath Williams - £2,139.26

John Wilson - £15,508.40

Charlie Wraith - £1,220.02

Andy Wray - £10,710.95

Chris Wray - £11,823

Neil Wright - £10,819.66

Philip Wright - £10,710.95

TOTAL - £1,012,231.44