Councillors in Wales to be given a pay rise

THE amount councillors in Wales get paid is set to go up.

An independent panel has recommended that the basic salary for councillors should go up to £13,600 from £13,300 – an increase of 1.49%.

The salary for councillors with special responsibilities is not going up, but they will also receive the £300 pay rise.

The basic allowance given to councillors is determined by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.

The amount is calculated on an assumption that the basic activity required of an elected member is equivalent to three days’ work.

Councils are divided into three groups depending on their size.

Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea are the biggest, the leaders of which will get £53,300 and their deputies £37,300.

The leaders of Bridgend, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Newport, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Vale of Glamorgan and Wrexham all get £48,300 and the deputy £33,800.

The leaders of Blaenau Gwent, Ceredigion, Denbighshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Torfaen and Anglesey all receive £43,300 and their deputies £30,300.

Chairs of committees will receive £22,300.

The leader of the largest opposition group will also receive £22,300 and the leader of other political groups £17,300.