Senedd members set for 6% pay rise
Members of the Senedd could receive a 6% pay rise this year.
The rise would mean a backbench Senedd member would earn £76,380 a year from April, up from £72,057 in 2024.
Proposals for a 6% increase in MSs’ pay have been put forward by the Independent Remuneration Board, as part of its annual review published on Wednesday.
The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, would see her additional salary rise to £90,701, taking her total pay to £167,081, while senior government ministers would get £119,343.
The pay rise would also mean the Llywydd – presiding officer – would see her salary increase to £125,310.
Public consultation
The increase is now subject to a public consultation.
Dr Elizabeth Haywood, chairwoman of the remuneration board said the increase took into account “changing circumstances and inflationary pressure”.
She said: “The latest average earnings figure for 2023/24, published in November, has confirmed a three-year period of unexpected and consistent growth in average salaries.
“Retaining the 3% cap on members’ pay, which has been in place since 2021, would contradict this principle and the board therefore proposes an increase of 6% in line with the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings figures for Wales.”
She added: “The board’s review focused on its core objectives and principles to ensure members are remunerated fairly and provided with sufficient resources to support them in their duties, whilst ensuring that decisions are appropriate within the wider financial circumstances of Wales and represent value for money.”
The increase is in line with pay increases at other UK legislatures in recent years, with MPs and Scotland’s MSPs receiving 5.5% and 6.7% pay rises respectively last year.
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It should be 100%. Who can possibly subsist on c. £76K/annum and then maintain the lifestyle and range of intellectual interests required of our amazing legislators? If we want the best going forwards for our dynamic Welsh democracy, then we must “dig deep” and amply reward brilliance.
Our amazing Baroness Morgan for example could easily triple her salary opening department stores or even as a “titled weather lady” on BBC Wales. Let’s not be parsimonious, the years of devolution from 1999 to the present have been a cavalcade of success, wealth and national happiness. More to come!
Very effin’ witty ! If our situation wasn’t so grim I would probably laff loud and long at that but these MS’s are notably uninspiring and bland.
Too often the default comment is that “we’re limited by Westminster/Whitehall” from one side and “too much socialism/ bureaucracy/woke” from the other. Neither is 100% wrong but little is produced that suggests that we are about to move forward very soon on any of the key metrics on economy, health, education etc .
Is there a ‘good side’ to that building, Desolation Bay…
Did they even consider its appearance from the water, I doubt it…
Yes the outside they should all be there outside the job centre’s
More captains of departments but no increase in crew to haul and bend the sails of state, so even more Chiefs than Indians, as long as accounts are able process those increases in salary it’s all good…
ps Lord Nick Clegg should be made chief fact checker of the internet…
Is this apathy or satire?
They are always trying to justify their salaries by comparing to the private sector. Do they also incur financial penalties when they miss targets?
None of them would survive in industry. No one held accountable for the stage 1 heads of the valley road dualing over run on cost and time over run
Private sector don’t. Failure gets you bonuses no matter what
Well deserved 👏. Amazing news, absolutely fabulous. Pat on the back.
Ms’s to be rewarded for failure.
I’ve worked in the education sector in FE and HE for over 30 years, approximately one third of that time I’ve received no annual pay rise. Currently, I’ve not received a pay rise in the last two years. If our MSs want to receive a private sector salary go and work in the private sector. I think it is shameful if the MSs take 6% while many others in the public sector have seen little or no annual rise in pay – I know there are exceptions to this especially in health.
You can’t just consider each year in isolation. Did the increases you did get “catch up” or are you saying you are poorer than you were 30 years ago in real terms?
Why are they getting 6% while pensioners get 4.1% next April
Time they were no more
Sack them all. They cannot make decisions because they do not have a majority. They have to have outside support to get things passed into law.
If this was industry they would have been made bankrupt and closed
On top of 8.5% last April.
And the Gravy Train arrives in Cafdiff!
Of all the issues to deal with !!
The money the Senedd costs the public is astronomical. The money the Senedd politicians waste is criminal.
Each year Council funding is cut and services lost. Each year Senedd members pay rises, costing the TAX payers Millions. My Council tax alone is almost as much as my mortgage.