Politics

Alliance MLA to hire new staff member after delaying decision due to political impasse

Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong is to hire a new member of staff, having delayed the decision to the political impasse. Picture by Bill Smyth
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong is to hire a new member of staff, having delayed the decision to the political impasse. Picture by Bill Smyth Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong is to hire a new member of staff, having delayed the decision to the political impasse. Picture by Bill Smyth

AN MLA is looking to hire a new member of staff, having delayed the decision due to the political impasse and admitting she was "hesitant" about advertising the post.

Kellie Armstrong, an Alliance representative for Strangford, has advertised for a part-time research and communications officer.

It comes amidst uncertainty over MLAs' pay and expenses, with no assembly or functioning executive for more than a year.

Secretary of State Karen Bradley has yet to decide whether she will cut salaries and staffing allowances, as recommended in a report by the former chief executive of the assembly, Trevor Reaney, which was given to her predecessor before Christmas.

The report proposed cutting the MLA annual salary from £49,500 to £35,888, and the allowance - which provides for two full-time staff or equivalent - from £50,000 to £37,500 by the end of March if no deal is imminent.

It also recommended that "no further permanent appointments of MLAs' staff are made".

The post in Ms Armstrong's office is for a fixed period of six months until September or until "constituency expense provision" is changed, to cover an employee who left on maternity leave in December.

"I delayed it until after the Secretary of State had made her speech (in the House of Commons this week)," she said.

"Not having ministers means that casework is going through the roof.

"In relation to my pay, I am doing work, but I just happen not to be in the assembly chamber, and if I am not doing that, then they can cut away," she added.

As of November last year, 214 people were employed as staff for MLAs, with 16 permanent staff appointed since September.

Some MLAs have openly admitted they are considering taking up other employment.

In December SDLP West Tyrone representative Daniel McCrossan said he was thinking of a return to law alongside his current duties.