Devon MP “open” to ideas on how to use councillor allowance

Pensioners and young people could get help

South West Devon Conservative MP Rebecca Smith says she is “open” to ideas on how to spend her £13,000 a year allowance for being a Plymouth  councillor, having pledged to give it away following the general election.

That could include paying London hotel fees for young people interested in politics so they can spend a week with her at Westminster and helping pensioners with winter fuel costs, she says.

She has been a councillor for Plymstock Radford since 2018 and is standing down in 2026 when the next council elections are held.

Following the general election in which she won a 2,112 majority over Labour’s Sarah Allen, who is also a councillor, she told constituents that she would serve her term of office rather than prompt a costly by-election, but would donate her allowance to charity.

“The role of MP and councillor overlap, and having juggled being a councillor and parliamentary candidate, plus two day-jobs, for over a year, I know it is possible to carry out both roles,” she said at the time on social media.

Miss Smith, who voted in parliament against scrapping universal winter fuel payments for pensioners, said she is “really happy” to spend her allowance on the things that were most important to her constituents.

Pensioners will now only be eligible for extra help if they receive pension credit.

“I am passionate about helping the most vulnerable, those who are on the edge between those who qualify and those who don’t for pension credit,” she said.

“Lots of pensioners were already struggling and will now be in a much tougher position with no winter fuel payments.”

She said she would be building a case to the government to bring back the benefit for all and wanted pensioners to inform her if they are suffering financial hardship.

“I have already offered a solution, using the council tax system as a way of delivering that money as that is already means tested. People already get discounts such as the single person discount and and those with disabilities.

“The answer was to give local government the money and we could have ensured that people get the help they need.”

The MP is also keen to open doors for young people interested in politics.

“There might be someone wanting to do some work experience in London who otherwise wouldn’t be able to as their family can’t afford to pay for a hotel,” she said.

She said she is “ open to anyone who wants to come and chat to me with an idea of how we could use this money.”

As a teenager 25 years ago, Miss Smith did work experience in Westminster with her predecessor Sir Gary Streeter and this ignited her passion for politics.

“I am a real solutions’ person and want to use what I have to help others. Giving young people that access to politics is really important to me. If anyone would like work experience, where I possibly can, I am really keen to facilitate that.”