Councillors could become professionals on a payroll with a £10,000 basic salary according to an independent draft document leaked to the Croydon Guardian.

The report, circulated to a handful of councillors, makes recommendations which could see the financial rewards of being a councillor - who are at present not salaried - treble. As yet, it is not clear where the money will come from.

But Conservative Councillor Anna Hawkins said: "It's totally out of order. It will attract the wrong type of people in to being a councillor. For the leader's position they will be scratching their eyes out for a £40,000 job.

"People will be raking in the money and it won't really attract people who care about the town."

And fellow Tory, Councillor Andrew Pelling said: "I do not think that it is appropriate for us to be paid that kind of money."

Labour leader Valerie Shawcross said: "We are not a profit-making organisation. We will now enter into a period of discussion and consultation and personally, I feel comparison with a charity director or a teacher would be sensible. We have to stand this independent review in the context of Croydon's financial situation."

Councillors currently receive a scale of allowances - a basic allowance of £1,380, an attendance allowance for each approved duty of £21 and a special responsibility allowance depending on position. Last year the average amount claimed was about £3,000.

This autumn, members will debate the independent draft report by David Widdicombe QC which recommends that attendance allowances be abolished and every councillor receives a flat rate of £10,000 per year for a job reckoned to demand 21 hours of time a week.

The largest rises concern the special responsibility allowance.

The position of leader would command £30,000, the deputy leader and committee chairs £20,000 and the leader of the minority group £18,000 - all on top of the £10,000 basic.

If councillors agree to their new pay conditions they will also have to decide where the estimated £1 million to cover the new payroll will come from.

A council spokesman said: "The degree to which they (the recommendations) will be accepted and adopted by the Croydon members will remain a matter for them at the appropriate time.

"I have no doubt that they will balance very carefully how their acceptance of higher remuneration will be regarded by taxpayers and staff while public spending continues to be tightly constrained."

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