Pay rise for Flintshire councillors up for discussion this week
The leaders of Flintshire and Wrexham Councils are in-line to receive an annual pay rise of just over £4,200 in April.
Flintshire County Council’s Constitution and Democratic Services Committee will on Wednesday consider a report from the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) – the independent body that sets councillors’ pay – that recommends an above-inflation pay increase of 6.4% for all elected members.
The UK inflation rate according to the Consumer Price index for the 12 months to August 2025 was 4%.
That report recommends that pay for the leaders of Group Two councils – those with populations between 100,000 and 200,000 – increase from £66,727 to £71,025. Deputy leaders’ pay is recommended to increase from £46,709 to £49,717.
Both Flintshire County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council are Group Two authorities.
The report also recommends that all elected members see their pay rise from £19,771 to £21,044. Cabinet or Executive Board members pay should increase from £40,036 to £42,615 and council chairs rise from £29,657 to £31,567.
If this draft proposal was implemented, members pay increases would cost Flintshire County Council an additional £107,121. Wrexham County Borough Council has not yet published figures on the budget impact of the plans.
Councillors can make comments on the recommendations to the DBCC about the proposals at this stage but the decision on the level of the pay increase and whether it is implemented is made independently by the DBCC. The final decision on pay levels will be published in February 2026
Members are individually allowed to refuse to accept the pay increase.
The DBCC guidance states that: “Whilst the commission recognises that councillors should be remunerated, it does note that any member or co-opted member may give notice in writing to the proper officer of the authority that they elect to forgo any part of their entitlement to a payment under the determination of the Panel for that particular year.
“This must be their own personal choice and cannot be influenced by other individuals or political groups.”
The report also seeks members’ views on a new ‘resettlement payment’ proposed for the 2027 local council elections. If introduced, it would see councillors who seek re-election and fail to win their seat given a parachute payment to ease the transition away from elected office.
By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter
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