Council chairman, believes the public view councillor salary increases in a "negative way"

People in Powys see a mandatory salary increase for councillors in a “negative way” according to county council chairman, Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe.

In February, the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) which decides councillors’ pay said that the basic salary for all councillors in Wales will go up by £2,432 from £14,368 to £16,800.

The decision to increase councillors pay came into force after the local elections and also amidst a cost-of-living crisis.

The report was in front of councillors at the council’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday, May 26.

This is because a decision on how many senior salaries the council will pay as well as allowing the details to be made public, needed to be voted on.

These senior positions are council leader, cabinet members, committee chairmen as well as leader of the opposition.

Newly installed council chairman, Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe said: “I personally don’t like us having to sit here and debate this.

“The public do view this in a negative way and are highly critical of this vote, but we’re noting the report and the recommendations are regarding the senior salaries.”

The council’s head of finance, Jane Thomas said that the annual basic salary of £16,800 must be paid to all councillors.

But Ms Thomas explained that councillors can “forego” part of their basic salary if they notify her in writing.

The report was noted, and the recommendations approved with 51 votes for, two against and seven abstentions.

This year, the IRPW have pushed the payments up so that they: “rectify the imbalance between the basic salary of councillors and the average salaries of their constituents.”

The reason the IRPW try and set a fair salary is in the hope that councillors can be found from all backgrounds including those who may also work full time.

The IRPW are realigning councillors’ salary with the Annual Survey of Hourly Earnings (ASHE) which is published by the Office of National Statistics. (ONS).

The basic salary reflected three fifths of the median gross earnings of full-time male employees’ resident in Wales as reported in the ASHE in 2009.

But with the coming of austerity measures and cuts over the last decade imposed by the Conservative government in Westminster, the link to ASHE was broken.

In their report the IRPW believe that council leaders should receive a salary “at or above” a back bench member of Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament and being in the cabinet should be seen as a “full time job.”

In Powys – the council leader can now receive £56,700 an increase from last year’s £49,974.

Deputy leader can receive up to £39,690 an increase from last year’s £35,320.

Cabinet members can receive up to £34,020 an increase from last year’s £30,773.

Committee chairmen can receive up to £25,593 an increase from last year’s £23,161.

Leader of the biggest opposition group can receive up to £25,593 an increase from last year’s £18,108.

The council chairman’s salary goes up to £25,593 an increase from last year’s £23,161.

The council’s vice-chairman’s salary goes up to £20,540 an increase from last year’s £18,108.