The basic county councillors’ allowance will be frozen until next year, if a report to Powys County Council is approved this month.
An independent remuneration panel is recommending that the basic rate for members is frozen to the end of March 2012.
The county council’s political management structure will change from a Chairman and Board to a Leader and Cabinet Executive system at the annual meeting on May 12 with a reduction in the number of members from 15 to 10 and, as a result, the council will be asked to redistribute the existing allowances for Board Members across the reduced number of Executive Members.
Board member for Finance, Councillor Tony Thomas said: "The independent panel is recommending that basic allowances are frozen to the end of the financial year but the council will be asked to approve a redistribution of the special responsibility allowances that will see an increase to some allowances to reflect the increased responsibilities and workload the executive changes will bring but one that is still well below the panel’s maximum recommended rate. The total cost of allowances to council tax payers will only increase fractionally."
Cllr Thomas said all special responsibility allowances remain fixed until May 12 this year when cabinet member allowances would increase but other special responsibility allowances would remain at existing levels.
He added that at the same time new special responsibility allowances would be introduced for the leader of the largest opposition group and other opposition groups, with an increase for the chair of audit committee to bring it in line with other committee chairs.
The council is also adopting national government guidance that the mileage rate for all members should increase from 40p to 45p from April 6 but subsistence allowances should remain the same.