Councillors to get 2% pay rise (if they want)

Your local County Councillor will receive just under a 2% pay rise this year, but it is up to the individual if they want to accept it or not.

The rise is in line with inflation and is recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) who say they must receive an increase in the basic salary of £268, to £13,868.

But councillors who complained about the salary increases were branded “elitist” at a meeting.

At the annual meeting of Powys County Council (PCC), Trewern councillor, Amanda Jenner, said she felt “very uncomfortable given the current climate and rising council tax, that we’re voting for a pay rise for the third year in a row”.

She added: “It feels inappropriate and out of touch. I would like us as councillors to lobby for reform or at least have some input.”

Following her comments, monitoring officer, Clive Pinney stressed: “You are not voting to give yourself a pay rise. All you are doing is noting a pay rise awarded to you and members across the whole of Wales by an independent body. It’s for individual members to accept the pay rise.”

Kerry councillor, Kath Robert-Jones, said: “I find this discussion extremely difficult. We’ve heard this is not our decision and we can take it or leave it. If we don’t allow people to have some sort of allowance you are in danger of only getting the elite around the table and they will only be the wealthy. We don’t want to go there again.

“I am happy to say that I’m part of the pension scheme, but I do not have any independent finance at all if I didn’t get paid for what I do.

“I work really hard, just as most councillors do, as I really care about our public.”

After Cllr Roberts-Jones spoke she received a round of applause.

The only decision councillors could make was to decide how many and which positions were to receive a senior salary. They voted in favour of the recommended 18 councillors.

Following the meeting Cllr Jenner told the Local Democracy Services' Elgan Hearn, that she “could not understand” how her comments could be described as elitist.

She believed that councils could only realise the aspirations of the IRPW if there were “fewer councillors” who “work full time for full time salary”.

Councillors unhappy with the salary increase can write to the head of finance, Jane Thomas, to say they refuse it.

Under the determination of the IRPW, the council leader’s salary will increase to £49,100, deputy leader to £34,600, and cabinet members to £30,100. Chairs of scrutiny committees and leader of the opposition will be paid £22,568 (all including basic salary).