COUNCILLORS on the Cheshire Fire Authority will consider reducing the amount of money they receive in allowances at next month’s meeting.

The authority – which is made up of councillors from Cheshire East, Cheshire West, Warrington and Halton – is set to consider changing its allowances scheme for 2019-20.

Members currently receive a basic annual allowance of £4,160.27 per year, but under plans which are due to be considered on December 12, that figure could be reduced by £41.19 to £4,119.08.

At a meeting of Cheshire Fire Authority’s governance and constitution committee on Wednesday, it was agreed that the new allowance scheme should be debated by members next month.

Cllr Eleanor Johnson, Conservative from Cheshire West, said: “I’m happy for the report to go to the full fire authority, and for them to come to a decision.”

Under the plans, the chairman of the fire authority – currently Cllr Bob Rudd, Labour from Cheshire West – would receive a special responsibility allowance of £13,550.97 – down from £13,686.48.

Meanwhile, special responsibility allowances for the deputy chairman, committee chairmen, group spokesmen and member champions would also decrease under the proposal.

Cheshire Fire Authority last reviewed its allowances in 2016-17, with the proposal that allowances would rise in line with wage increases for support staff at the authority.

Members agreed not to increase their allowances last year.