Council leaders’ pay up 29% in five years if proposals approved

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

The independent body responsible for setting councillor pay has recommended the leaders of two north Wales councils are given a £2,131 pay rise next year.

The recommendations – the second proposed by the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) since it took responsibility for remuneration last year – would see the Wrexham and Flintshire leaders’ pay increase 3% from £71,025 to £73,156.

If approved, the increase would mean that since 2022/23, pay for the role of Leader of the Council will have gone up by 29% – 4.7% more than wage growth for the average worker during the same time period according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Flintshire and Wrexham receive the same remuneration as they are both classed as Group B councils – those with 100,000 to 200,000 constituents.

Councillors are required to note and accept the recommendations annually but they have no direct input into the figure. They are also allowed to individually refuse pay rises but cannot do so as a block or for political reasons.

Flintshire County Council will consider the recommendations on Thursday when the DBCC’s Remuneration Report goes before its  Constitution and Democratic Services Committee.

The report will also recommend that deputy leaders’ pay – which increased in April by £3,008 to £49,717 – should go up again in 2027 by £1,492 to £51,209.

Cabinet member pay is recommended to increase by £1,278 to £43,893 while individual councillors will receive an extra £632 as their remuneration increases from £21,044 to £21,676.

The DBCC says it bases the increases on the equivalent of three-days of the median weekly wage in Wales – based on its data that councillors on average give three days per week to the role.

Last year the DBCC sought feedback from councils across Wales on potential reforms to the formula.

In its report it states: “We have considered whether any major changes are required to the framework. We have concluded that none are required at this time.

“The Commission surveyed authorities, their members and representative bodies to ascertain whether the current framework of remuneration for those with senior roles appropriately recognises the time commitment and responsibilities of those roles.

“We received a mix of views, ranging from no change to a wide-ranging reform of local government in Wales. There was no consensus for any specific change to the current framework.

“Without sufficient evidence or agreement for any specific changes, the Commission has decided that there will be no changes at this time to the senior roles’ framework.”