Welsh councillors could see their salaries rise by 3% to £21,676, according to proposals from the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru. The Commission has released its draft remuneration report, with a consultation period running until 17 December.
Pay link change proposed
Pay rates were previously determined by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, with the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru assuming responsibility for this work in 2025, a Commission statement explained.
The former Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales had linked pay for councillors to the Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings since the 2022 council elections. Its plan was to keep the link at least until the 2027 council elections, and the Commission decided to keep that link for its first report, for the current financial year, reports North Wales Live.
Switch to CPI
Maintaining the link with ASHE led to a 6.4% pay increase for councillors last year, and the Commission decided to review whether ASHE was still the most appropriate measure to use. At its draft report the Commission is proposing to move from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings to the Consumer Price Index as its measure for determining increases to councillor pay for the financial year 2027-28.
The change to the Consumer Price Index from ASHE means this year's proposed increase is 3%. The Commission states that "the intention of increases to remuneration is to ensure that elected members do not bear increased costs caused by changes to the cost of living whilst they carry out their public role" but that it "is fully aware of the current constraints on public funding and the impact its decisions will have on the budgets of principal councils."
Consultation and other roles
Members of the public and those affected by the proposals are urged to read the report and submit their response to the consultation by visiting dbcc.gov.wales/remuneration. The Commission also determines pay for council leaders and executive members, with the role element of their remuneration likewise proposed to rise by 3%.
Additionally, the Commission has released a supplementary remuneration report for Fire and Rescue Authorities, setting out its determination that all Fire and Rescue Authority Board members will be remunerated at the Welsh Government's Band 3 public bodies rate.
Responding to the publication of the report, Chief Executive of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, Shereen Williams MBE OStJ, said: "The Commission is pleased to publish its draft remuneration report and to open its important consultation. Choosing the appropriate index for setting councillor pay is vital to ensuring councillors are paid fairly while making sure that we are mindful of councils' budget situations. The Commission believes that adopting the Consumer Price Index instead of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings is a positive step, but it's really important that those affected let us know their views."
