Daily news bulletin: Councillor says 50% pay rise for commissioners is ‘unmitigated greed’

Councillors have reacted angrily over a 50% pay rise for the commissioners brought in to oversee parts of Liverpool City Council following a damning report.

The costs are to be covered entirely by the local authority, which has to make £34 million worth of cuts in its budget plans. At first, they were paid a day rate of £800 and £700 but had that increased to £1,200 and £1,100 in December.

Liberal Democrat councillor Richard Kemp said: "This is unmitigated greed by the Commissioners in accepting accept a 50% increase at a time of pay restraint in the public sector where staff are being offered between 0 and 1.5%, an increase which is leaving them worse off after the current inflation rate of 5%."

A spokesman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the increase was "to reflect current sector rates".

Road safety campaigner awarded MBE

A dedicated road safety campaigner has been awarded an MBE. Pauline Fielding started campaigning for justice after her son Andrew, 18, was killed in a collision when travelling to a football match with friends in 1994.

Since Andrew's death, Pauline has been campaigning for changes at the junction and has successfully managed to get the speed limit on the road reduced from 60mph to 40mph.

Pauline has also helped numerous bereaved families across Merseyside after setting up RoadPeace North West with Margaret Highton, whose granddaughter was run over and killed.

The group works alongside the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership, bringing together the police, emergency services and local council to reduce death and injury on the road.

Wirral Council may have to close libraries to save money

Several libraries in Wirral may close as the council looks to save £27 million to escape a budget black hole.

The local authority has put forward three ways to save money from closing libraries. The one recommended to councillors involves closing 11 of Wirral's 24 libraries while keeping five of the remaining 13 open but unstaffed.