Public Invited to Participate in Councillor Pay Increase Discussions
Wales seeks public input on proposed pay hikes for county councillors this year
Wales, Councillors, Pay Increase, Public Involvement, Democratic Services
Newport: Salaries for county councillors in Wales are going up this year by over £1,000. This means the basic pay for all members of the 22 councils will hit £19,771. Those in leadership roles or on committees will earn even more.
Right now, councillors make a basic salary of £18,666. The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales has suggested this £1,105 increase. For leaders of the biggest councils like Cardiff and Swansea, their pay will reach £74,141, which includes the basic salary.
In Gwent, Newport City Council’s leader, Dimitry Batrouni, and Caerphilly’s Sean Morgan will earn a total of £66,722. Meanwhile, leaders from Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, and Monmouthshire will each take home £63,020.
Cabinet members in Newport and Caerphilly will see a total salary of £40,036, while those in smaller councils will earn £37,812. The panel is set to finalize its report in February after consulting until the end of November.
During a recent meeting, Monmouthshire County Council members learned they missed the chance to discuss the report due to a canceled meeting. However, they were encouraged to send their thoughts directly to the panel.
Councillor Rachel Buckler from Devauden suggested that the public should have a say in the salary discussions. She emphasized the importance of having an independent panel to ensure fairness and build public trust in the decisions made.
She also proposed the idea of involving a citizen’s panel or academics to add more independent perspectives to the process. Sounds like a good way to keep things transparent, right?