A COUNCILLOR has called on his colleagues to take a pay cut to save a threatened transport scheme for the elderly and disabled.

Neville Watson has proposed all councillors should be paid no more than £5,000, a move that would see the allowances of Tory Castle Point Council leader Pam Challis slashed by more than £20,000.

Mr Watson wants the money saved to support the Castle Point Social Car Scheme, which faces losing some £50,000 in annual funding after the council threatened not to renew its contract.

Mr Watson, Canvey Winter Gardens councillor for the opposition Canvey Island Independent Party, intends to put forward his proposal as a motion at the next full council meeting at the end of this month.

He said: “We become councillors to do honest work on behalf of the community, not to earn money. It’s not a profession, like an MP.

“If you are going to be a decision maker and willing to cut budgets, are you going to cut your own?

“Surely that should be the first place they start.”

Councillors do not get a full-time wage, but get an allowance instead.

All councillors get a basic allowance of £3,550, which is supplemented by extra pay for special responsibilities, such as chairing committees.

They can also claim an allowance for travel, conferences attended and subsistence.

However, no councillor claimed for conferences or subsistence last year.

Allowances are not determined by councillors, but by an independent renumerations panel, which meets every four years.

The top earner for 2009-10 was Mrs Challis, who claimed £25,269, followed by deputy leader and councillor for finance Jeffrey Stanley, who claimed £17,990 and councillor for economic development Norman Smith, who claimed £12,545. Opposition leader Dave Blackwell was fourth highest, with £11,010.

On last year’s figures, if the 19 councillors earning more than £5,000 had their pay cut back to that figure, the council would save £84,290, more than enough to cover the £50,000 needed for the Castle Point Social Car Scheme.

Mr Watson claims £3,670, the same as his wife and fellow councillor Grace Watson.

In total, 22 councillors claimed less than £5,000.

Deputy leader Mr Stanley said: “Responsibility allowances recognise those with special responsibilites have to put a great deal more time in.

“There is no doubt the opposition is trying to create all sorts of political problems over the fact the council is going to have to reduce its spending.

“It’s just jumping on the bandwagon to make the spending cuts political.”

Mrs Challis did not return the Echo’s calls.