Macclesfield's mayoral budget has quadrupled from £5,000 to £20,000 – and council tax payers are picking up the bill.

The cost of having a mayor in Macclesfield has rocketed up from last year’s modest £5,000 budget for mayor Thelma Jackson, the Express has learnt.

This comes as council departments are being asked to make millions of pounds of savings in 2010 to combat the recession. CEC had last year financed the first mayor for the town of Macclesfield through a grant. But now Macclesfield residents are paying for the town’s mayor in the same way as they do for the police – through a ‘precept’ in their council tax bill.

Costs include insuring the mayoral chains and paying a clerk to keep the diary.

A group of 15 councillors known as the Charter Trustees of Macclesfield control the bumper budget, with complete freedom from CEC.

New mayor, Councillor David Neilson, said the change had been planned back in 2007 – in the Parliamentary act which established Cheshire East Council.

"In the first year (2009), Charter Trustees were to ask Cheshire East for whatever money they needed but this year we are on our own," he said. In actual fact people are paying less now than ever before for their mayor. As part of the council tax for the borough council you were paying £250,000.

"We are trying to promote Macclesfield with this money. We are planning events including celebrating the 750th anniversary of the charter of Macclesfield on January 1.

"The cost works out at about £1 per household per year or 10p a month."

He said the budget for Crewe’s mayor was more than £30,000 this year.

But CEC finance chief, Coun Frank Keegan, said: "Is it really that much? That surprises me. If that is the case maybe it should be looked into."

There was also surprise about the £20,000 bill in Macclesfield town centre yesterday (Tuesday).

Stanley Blenkinsop, 78, from Roan Court, Macclesfield, said: "I’m not sure that amount of money justifies it. I thought it would cost less than that."

Tommy Smith, 38, from Bollington, said: "It seems a bit steep to me, a lot of money. I don’t even know what the mayor does.

"Everyone has had to tighten their belts so perhaps the council should."

Anne Llewellyn, 68, from Tytherington, said: "I would imagine there’s a lot of engagements. So if it’s over the course of the year and it’s good for the town then I don’t think it’s that bad."

CEC leader, Coun Wesley Fitzgerald called it a ‘tiny tax’, adding: "To let an ancient mayoralty like Macclesfield die and fade away would be a travesty."

Macclesfield mayoral costs for 2010 include insuring mayoral chains – approximately £1,000; other expenses £2,500; deputy mayor’s expenses £500 (deputy mayor is Coun Martin Hardy); mayoral car no cost and employing a clerk for four hours a week – to be confirmed.