Call for pay review after survey reveals councillors do not receive Real Living Wage
Local councillors’ pay should be reviewed and brought up to at least the Real Living Wage, the umbrella body for local authorities has said.
Cosla said that the current remuneration for a local councillor of £18,604 was not sufficient,whentakingintoaccount that the average councillor works 38.5 hours a week in the role–resultinginanequivalent hourly rate lower than the Real Living Wage of £9.90.
Coslapresidentalisonevison said there has to be a “realistic” review of remuneration for the role, and called for the Scottish Government to look at councillors’ salaries.
A remuneration survey carried out by the organisation found that councillors work 38.5 hours a week, while those in receipt of Special Responsibility Allowances for additional roles work on average 50.3 hours per week. More than one in four councillors reported working weekly hours in a paid secondjob,workingonaverage 24.8hoursperweekinthisadditional employment.
The survey, which aimed to look at obstacles to people running for elected office, also found that financial barriers were cited by several female councillorswhosaidtheywere, or were considering, not standing for re-election in 2022.
It said remuneration was identified as a major barrier to diversity and highlighted the difficulties in balancing the workloadofacouncilloralongside a second paid job that is vital for financial wellbeing.
Scottish council elections are due to take place on 5 May.
Ms Evison said: “The time has come for a realistic look at the remuneration for the role of a Councillor. In less than five months, on May 5, Scotland once again goes to the polls to elect the representatives who are the closest to their communities - their local Councillors. The survey findings we are releasing today are a pivotal opportunity to think about the kind of modern Councillor we want, and about the changes that we need to make to attract candidates who could make a real difference to communities across the country.
“Together with my elected member colleagues, I already passionately believe in local democracy as a real positive force for good within our communities – that is why we stand for election. However to meet thenextchallengeweneedrealistic and proper remuneration that better reflects the role of a modern day Councillor.”
“Allofuswithinscottishlocal Government want to harness the power of a more locally democraticwayofdoingthings, to enable a more diverse range ofvoicesatthedecision-making table,andtooverhaulparticipation in council policy-making across the country – but people need to be properly remunerated to make this rhetoric a reality.” Ms Evison warned the current salary “does not cut the mustard”.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said that since 2017, councillors' pay has increased annually in line with the percentage increase in the medianannualearningsofpublic sector workers in Scotland.
He said: “The Government is open to working with Cosla to further consider this issue, including considering making improvements which will help increase the diversity of councillorsinscotland.itisvitalthat we encourage a wider range of people to seek election.”