Councillors in Wales could get a pay rise of more than £2,000 a year.
The proposed pay rise is to ensure a councillor’s salary meets the average earnings of a person in Wales, with the aim of making the role more appealing.
In a draft report by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales it said that the standard salary for a councillor has fallen behind that of their average constituent.
Local authorities employ councillors on a part-time basis. Currently, the standard annual salary for a councillor is £14,386, but this could increase to £16,800.
The report said: “The panel believes that local elections in May 2022 provide an opportune time to rectify the imbalance between the basic salary of councillors and the average salaries of their constituents.”
This report was presented to Newport City Council’s Democratic Services Committee on Monday October 11.
Welsh Labour councillor Gail Giles, who represents Caerleon, said it was “tricky” for councillors to discuss salary and working hours due to the backlash they could receive.
The report said that the standard salary for a councillor in Wales had fallen behind that of their counterparts in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.
The pay rise has not been confirmed yet because this is a draft report that local authorities have been asked to comment on.
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