Green Party mayor hikes his own salary... after vowing to take pay cut

Mr Shrivastava has "the intention to donate 20 per cent of the Directly Elected Mayor’s allowance to food justice initiatives", according to council documents.

The papers added the pay hike was "recommended by the Independent Remuneration Pane", reports The Standard.

Ahead of the votes on May 7, Mr Shrivastava said: "If elected Mayor, I will take a 20 per cent pay cut.

"When the council is looking to make £50million 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."

Mr Shrivastava's deputy will continue to receive £45,735, with a higher tier salary for some cabinet members of £45,735 being abolished.

All nine people who hold the position will now be paid £28,811-a-year, up from £17,932, with general allowances for all councillors remaining at £13,201.

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 7, 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."

A spokesman from Lewisham Town Hall insisted the new salary rates would be "cost neutral".

Zack Polanski's Green Party shattered Labour's dominance in the capital, taking control of Lewisham, Hackney and Waltham Forest.

The Greens have also taken control of Lambeth, Southwark and Haringey, where the party leads minority administrations.

Outside of London, the Greens also won overall majorities in Norwich and Hastings while gaining 17 seats in Manchester.

Speaking after May's local elections, Mr Polanski said: "Two-party politics is not just dying, it is dead and it is buried. Actually, whether it's here that Labour have been rejected, or whether we're seeing around the country, it's very clear that the new politics is the Green Party versus Reform."

Earlier this month, Mr Polanski admitted he did not vote in recent local elections as he "fell short of time" to register while moving house.

In a statement to the Independent, a party spokesman added Mr Polanski could not vote due to the extra steps needed to register to vote anonymously following recent "antisemitic and homophobic abuse".

"Zack was unable to vote. He was in the process of moving and when that fell through, he moved in as a lodger in rented accommodation," they said.

While a party spokesperson previously told The Times Mr Polanski may have used a postal vote, the party has since said this was a "miscommunication".

The statement added: "He fell short of time to register at new place, especially given the extra process he would need to go through to register anonymously.

"Zack has recently had increased security concerns after being the target of antisemitic and homophobic abuse."