Bury's Labour councillors have defended wage increases for its lowest-paid workers as council tax is set to rise in the borough. 

It comes after councillors from Labour clashed with the Conservative group which proposed an amendment to this year’s budget which would have scrapped Real Living Wage increases for council owners.

The amendment, which was brought before the council at its budget meeting on Wednesday, said £6.6m could be saved if the wage increase did not go ahead.

The Conservatives, led by Cllr Russell Bernstein, argued against £3.58m in council tax increases proposed by the Labour Party as well as an increase in social care precept, at a cost of £2.4m.

The party also proposed other amendments, including an additional Grit Bin fund at a cost of £10k.

Bury Council has paid its employees the Real Living Wage since April 2022 in an effort to uplift the salaries of the lowest-paid workers, including cleaners, carers, and caterers.

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During the debate, Jo Lancaster, Conservative Deputy Leader and councillor for Radcliffe North and Ainsworth argued that the pay uplift would force residents in Radcliffe to pay more council tax, money which would not be reinvested into the community.

Labour councillor Richard Gold said the amendment would represent a real-term pay cut which risked pushing its lowest paid staff into poverty, and called the Real Living Wage, “the bare minimum to live a healthy life.”

Bury Council leaders announced it had set its “toughest budget yet” after announcing it would face “massive challenges” in the upcoming financial year.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the council voted to increase the council tax by 2.99% for general council services, plus a 2% levy to be spent exclusively on social care in order to balance its books.

Following the budget meeting, Councillor Nathan Boroda, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “It is shameful that at the height of a Tory inflicted cost of living crisis, the Bury Conservatives sought to cut the wages of people who dedicate their careers to caring for others. This is a truly damning indictment of their values.

"We know the Real Living Wage is also crucial for our staff retention, local economic growth and reducing inequalities. As a Labour Group we will continue to champion fair pay for carers and all our council staff.”

Cllr Bernstein said: “Firstly, I have to say myself and Bury Conservatives will not take any lectures on values from people who have on two occasions tried to convince the electorate to make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister and are currently determined to copy the antics of the Parliamentary Labour Party and try to strong arm us all to believe their political dogma.

“Let me make clear the Real Living Wage is a very laudable aspiration, but its implementation is purely a political decision.

“It is the view of myself and fellow Conservative councillors that at this time when the economic position of our country is beginning to turn a corner we should be looking to support all our residents in our borough and it’s our view that a council tax and social care precept freeze would achieve that objective.

“The Conservative budget proposal also ensures the council's much-needed reserves would immediately be strengthened by around £6.5million. We believe this approach is the prudent financial thing to do in the best interests of the council and our residents.

"This emphasis on delivery and direction of travel by Bury Conservatives for the whole borough builds on the £190million worth of investment provided by the Conservative Government into Bury since 2019 something I am grateful for all the help James Daly MP has given in making this happen.

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“Let me again repeat the only reason that there will be an increase of the maximum 4.99% in council tax and the social care precept this year is because of a political decision taken by Bury Labour and supported by Radcliffe First and the Tottington Independent.

"I think the people of our borough need to hear that and then make their views known in the local elections in May.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, leader of Bury Council said: "We made a promise that after the pandemic we would thank our key workers properly and central to that was paying them a Real Living Wage. This level of pay lifts thousands of carers, cleaners and school caterers out of poverty pay and boosts our local economy.

“The proposal from the Conservatives would throw this all away and prioritise the wealthiest in our borough over the poorest. It tells you everything you need to know about whose side they are on."