Council leader tops salaries with £53,000 for year
THIS week, the 1,254 councillors across Wales found out how much they will be paid in the next year.
Salaries for councillors, leaders, committee chairs and civic leaders are all determined by the Independent Renumeration Panel for Wales, which has just published its decision for 2016-17.
Councils are allowed to pay up to 19 “senior salaries” to the leader, cabinet members, committee chairmen and chairwomen, mayors and more.
Andrew Morgan, council leader, will earn £53,000 this year while deputy leader Maureen Webber will have a £37,000 salary.
The seven remaining cabinet members – Joy Rosser, Eudine Hanagan, Mike Forey, Robert Bevan, Ann Crimmings, Geraint Hopkins and Mark Norris – will earn one of two salaries, either £32,000 or £28,800.
Executive Members may be paid at either of the two senior salary levels and it is a matter for individual authorities to decide which one. RCT council leader Andrew Morgan will be responsible for this determination.
Chairmen and women of scrutiny committees will earn either £22,000 or £20,000.
The committtees cover areas such as children’s services, planning, economy and the environment.
As with the cabinet members, the level of payment which an individual takes is up to RCT council.
As the leader of the opposition party, Plaid Cymru’s Pauline Jarman will earn £22,000 in 201617. The mayor of RCT, newly-elected Rhys Lewis of Abercynon, will get either £19,000, £21,500 or £24,000 for his year in office. Again, this is for determination by the council and last year, RCT’s mayor was paid £21,500.
Deputy mayor, Craig Middle, will get either £18,000, £16,000 or £14,000 for his role.
And, for the councillors who aren’t a leader, cabinet member or head of a committee, they will earn a basic allowance of £13,000.
Council leader re-elected: See Page 29
‘As with the cabinet members, the level of payment which an individual takes is up to RCT council...’