Latest news with #publicParticipation
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Public invited to decide how MPs' pay should be set
Parliament's expenses watchdog wants around 20 members of the public to take part in a review of how it sets MPs' pay. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) says the "citizens' forum" will help shape pay and expenses policy from next year onwards. The group will meet four times in September, and make recommendations alongside a wider online consultation expected to run until the autumn. Ipsa's review will also look at how the pay of British MPs compares to politicians in other countries. MPs' basic salary is currently £93,904, following a 2.8% annual rise in April. MPs' pay set to increase 2.8% to £93,904 in April Forum could examine assisted dying law - Labour The watchdog is legally mandated to review how it determines MPs' salaries and expenses following each general election. Previous reviews have used online consultations to gather views, but this is the first time members of the public have been asked to participate directly in the process. It is expected around 20 to 25 people will be recruited via a postal lottery of 10,000 addresses, with the aim of selecting a group that is broadly representative of the wider UK population. Those taking part will be asked to make recommendations to Ipsa's board as part of the review, which must conclude before April next year. Ipsa says those taking part must be aged 18 or over, and do not need any prior knowledge, or an interest in politics. The move is the latest example of a British body using a co-called citizens' assembly model when making a decision, following its widespread use in Ireland. It has previously been employed by the Scottish government to discuss constitutional questions after Brexit. Westminster committees have used it to decide recommendations on climate change and social care. Supporters say the model can help make decisions more democratic, although critics have questioned the extent to which panels of volunteers are ever able to reflect wider views in the broader population. The model had been tipped for wider government use after Sue Gray, Sir Keir Starmer's then chief of staff, said Labour would use it to decide contentious issues such as where houses should be built and how to reform the House of Lords. Ms Gray entered Downing Street after the election but was replaced after three months, and those plans appear to have been shelved. Ipsa was created in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal to take on the task of setting MPs' pay, which was previously decided by MPs themselves. The watchdog does not currently have a set formula for deciding MPs' annual salaries. Instead, it says it balances data on public sector pay against the economic context, and pay in the "wider working population". In recent years it has experimented with linking annual awards, which take effect each April, to average public sector pay figures published the previous October. However, it has not always stuck rigidly to using this figure. In 2023, it recommended a higher pay rise for MPs, arguing the official data had failed to capture cost of living bonuses awarded elsewhere in the public sector. This year, it recommended a lower rise, by linking its 2.8% rise to initial Treasury plans for the public sector, which have since been increased after the government accepted a series of recommendations from pay review bodies last month. In a report published last year, Ipsa found that in 2023 British MPs were paid more than counterparts in countries including France and New Zealand. But they were paid less than equivalents in Ireland, Germany, Canada, Australia and the United States, the survey found. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Massive public outcry over Cape Town's controversial 2025/26 budget proposals
The City of Cape Town has received significant public pushback to its proposed R84.1bn 2025/26 budget, with more than 14,000 submissions received during the public-participation process held from 28 March to 2 May 2025. The objections focus on the proposed tariff structure, which is based on property values and includes fixed charges for water and sanitation (as opposed to being based solely on estimated volumetric usage), as well as a new city-wide cleaning charge to fund street sweeping and the removal of illegal dumping. This has prompted more than 10,000 residents to sign a petition against the reforms. The petition is led by the City of Cape Town Collective Ratepayers' Association (CTCRA), which represents over 45 ratepayer groups. Critics argue that the removal of cleaning charges from electricity bills—under pressure from National Treasury—has simply led to their reintroduction as separate levies. While the city claims electricity tariffs will only rise by 2%, experts note this is misleading and does not reflect the full impact on ratepayers, especially those in Eskom-supplied areas or with solar power. City officials said while the proposed budget is meant to protect households under R2.5m, it has heard the concerns of ratepayers in higher-value properties particularly those of the NRPA and the Fish Hoek Valley Ratepayers' and Residents' Association who warned that the budget's structural changes could result in monthly increases of up to 30% for many households — especially those in properties valued above R3m. Fixed-charge backlash Keith Barton, chairperson of the Bergvliet Meadowridge Ratepayers' Association, says the draft budget unfairly shifts the burden onto middle- and upper-income households through steep increases in fixed charges linked to property values. 'If approved, this budget will cause financial strain for many middle-income homes. "A typical R4.2m property in our suburbs would pay R920 more per month in fixed charges — irrespective of the amount of electricity and water consumed. Households with solar and boreholes using minimal City services could see monthly municipal bills rise by over 30%. 'The City says this new structure ends the past practice of cross-subsidising other municipal services via electricity sales. We do not believe that municipal charges should be so heavily skewed towards a property's value instead of its consumption of services. 'However, we believe that, if the City is hell-bent on this method of imposing charges, it should mitigate the effect of the increases by adopting a phased approach that gradually phases out cross-subsidies while incrementally introducing the new fee structure over several years instead of doing this in a single budget cycle,' Barton said. City rethinks tariffs On the back of this public outcry, sources say that the City intends to amend and republish the budget, followed by an additional two-week public-consultation period. While the City has not officially confirmed this, it acknowledged that it is considering steps to ensure the final budget is legally adopted before the new financial year begins on 1 July 2025, in accordance with the Municipal Financial Management Act. Relief measures proposed In response to the outcry, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has proposed potential relief measures, including extending rates-free thresholds, easing pensioner-rebate criteria, and reducing cleaning charges for certain properties. Despite the criticism, the City maintains that its service delivery is superior to other metros and that major infrastructure upgrades—costing R40bn—are necessary. However, the CTCRA argues that these upgrades could be phased in more gradually and calls on the City to explore alternative revenue streams rather than disproportionately targeting ratepayers. With limited time left before the 1 July implementation deadline, the City faces pressure to amend the budget and still comply with legal and administrative requirements. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
LBCI
17-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Lebanese PM urges voter participation ahead of Beirut municipal elections
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed complete confidence in the people of Beirut to uphold the city's diversity in the upcoming municipal and mukhtar elections. In a video message posted on X, Salam called on all citizens to take part in Sunday's vote, emphasizing the importance of public participation in shaping the future of the capital.
