Socialists Candidate for Mayor Would Live on Average Wage

Steve Score, Socialist Party candidate in the city mayoral elections has pledged to only live on the wage of an average Leicester worker if elected. The city mayor takes home over £70,000 at the moment. The current basic allowance for every council member is £10,556 and the city mayor has a ‘special responsibility allowance’ on top of £60,047.

Steve Score said:

“Leicester has had drastic cuts in services over many years. Cuts have been made to youth services, children’s centres, voluntary services, libraries, community centres and many other services. In the ten years from 2011 there will have been a devastating cut of 62% in in non social care spending in Leicester if the Mayor’s plans continue.

“When people are forced to go to food banks and cuts are being made to welfare rights services by the council, why should council money be used to pay the mayor such a high allowance?

“I believe elected public representatives should not be cut off from the living standards of the people they are meant to represent. The average wage in Leicester is around £23,000 a year.

“If people stand for election because they want to improve the lives of people in the city, financial reward should not be a motive.

“I believe the Mayor and the council should lead a fight to save our services in Leicester. It would be possible to use some of the £100 million plus reserves the council has to keep services running and build a campaign even greater than the one that saved Glenfield Children’s Heart Centre.”

As a long-time campaigner for services Steve Score was the chair of the successful Save Glenfield Children’s Heart Centre campaign.