The new Green Party leader of a southeast London borough has increased his salary by almost £5,000 despite vowing to take a 20% pay cut in the run up to the local elections.
Lewisham Mayor Liam Shrivastava will be paid £93,575-a-year, up from the £88,743 wage received by his Labour predecessor - a rise of 5.4%.
Council papers said the pay hike was "recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel" and Mr Shrivastava has "the intention to donate 20% of the Directly Elected Mayor’s allowance to food justice initiatives".
Zack Polanski’s Green Party shattered decades of London politics with a series of historic wins in the capital at the local elections, seizing control of Lewisham, Hackney and Waltham Forest.
Ahead of the votes on May 7, Mr Shrivastava said: “If elected Mayor, I will take a 20% pay cut. When the council is looking to make £50 million in cuts over the next two years, it’s only right that we display leadership on this issue and show our residents that we recognise the scale of the challenges we face.”
Elsewhere, Mr Shrivastava's deputy will continue to receive £45,735. A higher tier salary for some cabinet members of £45,735 was abolished and all nine people who hold the position will now be paid £28,811-a-year, up from £17,932.
General allowances for all councillors will also remain at £13,201.
The new pay structure was voted through without debate at a full council meeting in May.
Lewisham town hall said the new salary rates would be “cost neutral”.
London Liberal Democrat spokesman Luke Taylor said: "It's no surprise the Greens are being found out for their empty campaign promises, but even I didn't think it would happen so quickly.
"Local politics is built on trust, and for so many people who hoped for a fresh start after May 7th, to have that trust chipped away within a fortnight will be devastating.
"It's looking increasingly like the Greens and Reform have the same approach to local government - empty, undeliverable promises and style over substance."
Zack Polanski’s Green Party shattered decades of London politics with a series of historic wins in the capital at the local elections last month.
In a disastrous day for Labour, Sir Keir Starmer’s party lost control of Lewisham, Hackney and Waltham Forest to the Greens.
Westminster, Barnet and Wandsworth, the three flagship London boroughs Labour won for the first time in 2022, were also lost to the Tories and no overall control respectively.
Brent, Enfield, Haringey and Southwark fell from Labour to no overall control. The Greens have since seized control of Lambeth, Southwark and Haringey, where the party leads minority administrations.
