Independent Panel recommends a near £270 pay rise for Councillors in Flintshire next year

Councillors in Flintshire could receive a pay rise of £268 in the next financial year following recommendations published by the The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) today.

The IRPW has published its Draft Annual Report, which recommends basic and senior salaries of councillors across all of Wales to increase by 1.79%.

The IRPW said that financial constraints on the public sector and particularly local authorities has meant that the link with average Welsh earnings has not been maintained.

The Panel said it considers this has undervalued the “worth of elected members.”

The average salary for a councillor in Wales will increase in the next financial year to £13,868 from £13,600

A spokesperson for the The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales said:

“The salaries of leaders and members of the executive have not been increased for several years.

The Panel consider that holders of these posts have significant functional responsibility.

The Panel have therefore proposed a modest increase of £800, inclusive of the £268 basic salary rise.”

Any salary rise would take effect in the next financial year following an eight week consultation from 2 October 2018.

The Panel has also mandated payment of a contribution to costs and expenses for all members of community and town councils.

Previously this was not mandated for all groups of community councils, but feedback expressed disappointment in this decision, the Panel felt that any member who wanted to receive this payment should be entitled to do so.

The report also notes: “From the discussions during our visits to the principal councils it is clear that very few members are utilising the provision in the Framework to reimburse the costs of care.

It appears that some members are still reluctant to claim all that they are entitled to support them in their role, because of concerns about the adverse publicity this can attract.

We urge Democratic Services Committees to take steps to encourage and facilitate greater use of this element of our Framework so that members concerned are not financially disadvantaged.”

The full report can be read here.

Representations and comments on the plans should be received by 27 November 2018.

You can make your views known by writing to the:

Panel Secretariat at Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales
N03 – First Floor
North Wing
Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

or by emailing irpmailbox@gov.wales