Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales: draft annual report 2025 to 2026
Sets the range and level of payments for the financial year 2025 to 2026.
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Foreword
Welcome to the draft Annual Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (“Panel), setting the decisions and determinations on pay, expenses, and benefits for elected members of Principal Councils, Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs), Community and Town Councils, National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities for implementation from April 2025. This is the final draft report before the Panel’s functions transfer over to the Democracy Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) from 1 April 2025.
You can find out more about our Panel members on our website.
This has been a busy year for the Panel, with the focus on compliance, engagement, fairness and research, whilst also preparing for the transfer of functions to the DBCC.
Since its inception, I believe that the Panel has had a significant and beneficial influence on the value of elected members of local government in Wales at all levels and in respect of all the all authorities that are within its remit. In particular, the Panel has sought to ensure that remuneration issues do not act as a barrier to participation in local democracy.
The Local Government Measure requires the Panel to take cognisance of the overall cost to the public purse. We have continued to do this, and maintained the principle that the remuneration of elected members of our Principal Councils is linked specifically to the average wages of people in Wales. I am satisfied that the balance between fairness and support to elected members and the overall impact on public finances has been achieved for 2025 to 2026.
I wish to give my appreciation and thanks to the Panel for their professionalism, engagement and judgement during the last few years. This has enabled the Panel’s Determinations to be robust, sound and well supported by stakeholders. Also, my grateful thanks to the members of our Secretariat who have supported the Panel.
This draft annual report is now issued for consultation. We have again put forward a set of specific questions where we would welcome your feedback. We welcome any additional comments either on the detail of the proposed Determinations or on other relevant areas you think the Panel should consider.
The Consultation period ends on 29 November 2024 (you can either, write to us (see contact details), email us your comments or complete the form on our website and after deliberating on your feedback, and taking cognisance of any change in circumstances, the Panel will issue its final Determinations and annual report by the 28 February 2025.
Frances Duffy, Chair
Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales
Introduction
Last year we published our first Strategic Plan, setting out the framework for our deliberations and wider context for our decisions from 2023 to 2025.
The strategy outlines an appropriate and fair remuneration framework, aimed at encouraging inclusion and participation in order to support local democracy, and giving communities their voice.
The Panel has a role to promote a wider understanding of the work of local and community council members, to encourage participation in local democracy and to improve diversity of councillors to better represent the diversity of local communities. The Panel has previously introduced reimbursement for cost of care (for all elected members) and a working from home and ICT allowance (community and town councillors) aimed at removing potential barriers relating to caring responsibilities and home working enabling elected members to participate in local democracy.
The Panel continues to monitor, where it can, the impact of its determinations on improving diversity within local democracy, and with the support of Welsh Government, sought views on the association between remuneration and diversity within local democracy. The Panel has written to Welsh Government to ask for support in providing a better baseline of evidence to monitor and track changes in the demographics of our elected officials.
With a strengthened Panel, we continue to focus on building our research and evidence plan to support our discussions on our remuneration framework. We publish our Research and Evidence paper each year along with the final report in line with our aim to be open and transparent in all our decision making.
The Panel believes fair and reasonable levels of remuneration are crucial to local democracy. We therefore again agreed to continue to align levels of remuneration for elected members of Principal Councils, Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs), National Park and Fire and Rescue Authorities within the context of average Welsh earnings. This has meant using the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings within Wales (ASHE) published by Office for National Statistics (ONS) as the main benchmark for setting remuneration.
The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 states that “the Panel must take into account what it considers will be the likely financial impact on relevant authorities” of its decisions. We considered evidence on public sector finances and the impact on Principal Authorities’ budgets before determining remuneration levels across the local government family.
Whilst the total cost of remuneration for elected members is relatively low in terms of overall budgets, the Panel are aware of the continuing economic and fiscal strain on Principal Councils. In reaching our decision to continue the link between elected members remuneration and the average earnings of their constituents, the Panel remain of the view that a fair and reasonable remuneration package will continue to support elected members and not act as a barrier to participation. This is an important principle, underpinning our considerations on appropriate remuneration.
In line with our commitment to simplifying reporting and compliance requirements, the Panel this year looked at the reporting for Community and Town Councils (CTCs). We provided clerks of CTCs with a new template report and will continue to monitor the level of payments made. These annual returns form an important part of the evidence that the Panel considers in determining the impact and effectiveness of our decisions.
We addressed queries from CTCs regarding the PAYE treatment of the mandatory allowance for working from home (£156 per annum) and the option of a flat rate of £52 a year for consumables. We updated our guidance on this issue, and this has helped reduce the number of queries. We are mindful of the help that One Voice Wales continues to give to local clerks and councillors on remuneration issues and will again this year hold an online seminar for all community councillors during the consultation period.
We are also mindful of a continuing, albeit reducing, number of CTC councillors who decide to forego all or part of their entitlement. We strongly believe that councillors should be reimbursed for expenses they necessarily incur whilst carrying out their duties.
We introduced a total sum reporting for all mandatory payments to members of CTCs for working from home, the flat rate consumables allowance and travel and subsistence claims. This is in line with the reporting of costs of care and personal assistance claims. The Panel feels this will give the right balance between public accountability and individual privacy, and we hope will encourage all to accept the payments they are entitled to.
Also, last year, the Panel introduced the option for coopted members of Principal Councils, National Parks Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities, to be paid an hourly rather than daily rate where thought appropriate. We will be looking at the annual payment returns for this year to monitor the take up of this.
We have reviewed and updated our guidance (previously called the Regulations) to better support relevant authorities to be able to comply with our determinations about members’ remuneration, including payments, reporting and publication requirements as set out in this draft annual report.
A key issue that the Panel considered in depth this year was the development of the new Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs). After research into the progress being made and taking evidence and feedback from CJCs and Welsh Government policy colleagues, the Panel issued a draft Supplementary Report covering the remuneration of lay members of CJCs on 27 June 2024.
The Panel considered it important that payments and allowances to elected and appointed members of all relevant authorities within the local government family are fair and consistent. It was the Panel’s view that the situation regarding remuneration of lay members of CJCs was anomalous with remuneration of coopted members with other local government authorities.
As a result, the Panel consulted with stakeholders about aligning the approach taken to remunerating lay members of CJCs with the remuneration of coopted members across the relevant authorities within the local government family, asking if lay members of a CJC should be paid in the same way as coopted members of other relevant authorities.
The Panel expresses its appreciation to those who took the time to send their views and comments. The responses were almost all supportive of the approach set out in the report.
The Panel issued a final Supplementary Report on 31 July 2024.
The final area that the Panel is considering actioning this year is to undertake a review of Framework and Methodology for Remuneration of Senior Roles in Principal Councils, Community and Town Councils (CTCs), and CJCs. This is a considerable piece of work requiring full examination and subsequent research, and the Panel therefore intends to develop a more detailed scope of the nature of the research and methodology required over the coming months in order for the new Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) to take this work forward.
Additionally, the Panel has become aware of some concerns over the workload and demands on senior roles in National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities. The Panel therefore proposes incorporating research questions that would support a review into these areas also within the scope of the research framework described above.
As we come to the end of the year, and the winding up of the Panel and the transfer of its functions to the DBCC, the Panel will be preparing a Legacy Report which we intend to act as a summary of the main issues we have researched and made decisions on over the past 10 or so years and form an evidence base for the DBCC to take forward.
Role and responsibilities of the Panel
Our role
The Panel is responsible for setting the levels and arrangements for the remuneration of elected and coopted members of the following organisations:
- Principal Councils, County and County Borough Councils
- Community and Town Councils
- National Park authorities
- Fire and Rescue authorities
- Corporate Joint Committees
The Panel is an independent organisation and the organisations listed above are required, by law, to implement the decisions it makes.
We make determinations on:
- the salary structure within which members are remunerated
- the type and nature of allowances to be paid to members
- whether payments are mandatory or allow a level of local flexibility
- arrangements in respect of family absence
- arrangements for monitoring compliance with the Panel’s decisions
Our aim
- Supporting local democracy and giving communities their voice, through setting up an appropriate and fair remuneration framework, which encourages inclusion and participation.
Our goals
- Our Determinations should ensure that levels of remuneration are fair, reasonable, represent value for money for the taxpayer, and are set within the context of Welsh earnings and the wider financial circumstances of Wales.
- Our Determinations should support elected members from a diverse range of backgrounds, and levels of remuneration should not act as a barrier to participation.
Our strategic objectives
- To make evidence based Determinations.
- To use clear and accessible communications.
- To proactively engage and consult.
- To simplify compliance and reporting.
- To work collaboratively.
Panel membership
Frances Duffy, Chair
Saz Willey, Vice Chair
Bev Smith
Dianne Bevan
Kate Watkins
Detailed information about the members, our Strategic Plan, our deliberations and supporting research and evidence can be found on the website.
Transfer of functions to Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru
Following an independent ten-year review of the Panel in 2021, the Panel’s functions will transfer over to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru on 1 April 2025. This is as a result of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act being passed in July 2024. Having received Royal Assent in the Autumn, the Act expands the role and remit of the DBCC across aspects of a healthy Welsh democracy, including setting the remuneration for members of the following bodies across Wales:
- Principal Councils
- Town and Community Councils
- Corporate Joint Committees
- Fire and Rescue authorities
- National Park authorities
As the DBCC draws on the same evidence base and stakeholders to undertake its own work and its purpose is also rooted in promoting effective local democracy, there is already a strong connection between the work of the two organisations. Both agendas rely on having a real understanding and appreciation of the needs of the population of Wales, the way in which elected members and councils operate and an understanding of members’ workloads.
As the Panel is required now, the DBCC will be expected to produce a draft Annual Report for consultation and take account of responses prior to publishing a final Report by 28 February each year. The Report will set out its determination about remuneration levels for the following financial year.
The Panel will be abolished via the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act on 31 March 2025.
We are working closely with the DBCC to ensure a seamless transfer of the Panel’s functions on 1 April 2025. We have set up a transition workstream to capture requirements such as development of a legacy report which will provide details on the Panel’s history as well areas which might be considered by the DBCC in the future.
Methodology
As set out in our strategic objectives the Panel has committed to making evidence-based decisions.
This year we again prepared an evidence and research paper to pull together the various sources of information that the Panel considered in making its draft Determinations. This provided a wide range of data, evidence and contextual factors to inform the Panel’s decision-making process in relation to its Determinations for the 2025 to 2026 financial year. This included:
- data on average UK and Wales weekly earnings, including ASHE the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
- public and private sector pay trends
- annual CPIH and CPI inflation rates
- benchmarks, including councillor remuneration in Scotland
- research on councillor workload, views and attitudes to remuneration and diversity (Welsh Government)
- data collected on the take up of remuneration and benefits packages by councillors
- democratic Health of Community and Town Councils
- data on local authority finances
The full set of evidence and research considered will be published on our website.
The Panel engaged directly with key stakeholder representative groups including the Welsh Local Government Association and One Voice Wales, Society for Local Council Clerks, North and Mid Wales Association of Local Councils. We also received evidence from the Chair of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Chair of National Parks Wales (who is also Chair of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and the Chair of South West Wales CJC (who is also the Leader of Swansea City Council).
In March, the Panel attended the One Voice Wales conference. This enabled the Panel to meet delegates and discuss issues relating to the Panel’s deliberations. The Panel will be attending this year's conference and look forward to meeting CTC clerks and councillors.
The Panel also met with the Convention of Scottish local authorities (COSLA), Scottish Government and the Convener of Scottish local authorities Remuneration Committee (SLARC) to discuss SLARC’s independent review of councillor remuneration and particular methodology for setting councillor remuneration. The Panel found the conversation interesting and informative on how the Scottish remuneration methodology compares with Wales.
The Panel looks forward to engaging with Heads of Democratic services and Leaders of Principal Councils, during the consultation period. These discussions provide an opportunity for the Panel to explore views about existing arrangements, the impact decisions are having on individuals, how the arrangements are operating in practice and any issues or concerns individuals wish to raise. It also provides an opportunity for discussion about emerging situations which the Panel may need to consider in respect of its decision making.
The Panel would like to thank all those that contributed to our deliberations either directly or through feedback and questions on our last report.
Determinations for 2025 to 2026
Principal councils
Basic salary for elected members of principal councils: determination 1
The basic salary, paid to all elected members, is remuneration for the responsibility of community representation and participation in the scrutiny, regulatory and related functions of local governance. It is based on a full time equivalent of 3 days a week. The Panel regularly reviews this time commitment, and no changes are proposed for 2025 to 2026.
The Panel is fully aware of the current constraints on public funding and the impact its decisions will have on the budgets of Principal Authorities. The Panel is also mindful of our aims and objectives to provide a fair and reasonable remuneration package to support elected members and to encourage diversity of representation.
The Panel also noted that in previous electoral cycles, the remuneration of councillors fell far behind the key benchmark of Average Hourly Earnings in Wales (ASHE) and a significant uplift was therefore required in 2022.
The Panel has therefore determined that for the financial year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 it is right to retain the link between the basic salary of councillors and the average salaries of their constituents. The basic salary will be aligned with 3 fifths of all Wales 2022 ASHE, the latest figure available at drafting. This will be £19,771.
Salaries paid to Senior, Civic and Presiding members of principal councils: determination 2
The limit on the number of senior salaries payable (“the cap”) will remain in place.
All senior salaries include the basic salary payment. The different levels of additional responsibility of and between each role is recognised in a banded framework. No changes to banding are proposed this year.
The basic pay element will be uplifted in line with ASHE and this uplift will also apply to the role element of Bands 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
The salary of a leader of the largest (Group A) council will therefore be £74,141.
All other payments have been decided in reference to this and are set out in Table 1.
Group A
- Cardiff
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary | £19,771 |
| Band 1 leader | £74,141 |
| Band 1 deputy leader | £51,899 |
| Band 2 executive members | £44,485 |
| Band 3 committee chairs (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Band 4 Leader of the largest opposition group | £29,657 |
| Band 5 Leader of other political groups (if paid) and deputy civic head | £23,726 |
| Civic Head (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Deputy Civic Head (if paid) | £23,726 |
| Presiding member (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Deputy Presiding Member (basic only) | £19,771 |
Group B
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Carmarthenshire
- Conwy
- Flintshire
- Gwynedd
- Newport
- Neath Port Talbot
- Pembrokeshire
- Powys
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Wrexham
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary | £19,771 |
| Band 1 leader | £66,727 |
| Band 1 deputy leader | £46,709 |
| Band 2 executive members | £40,036 |
| Band 3 committee chairs (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Band 4 Leader of the largest opposition group | £29,657 |
| Band 5 Leader of other political groups (if paid) and deputy civic head | £23,726 |
| Civic Head (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Deputy Civic Head (if paid) | £23,726 |
| Presiding member (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Deputy Presiding Member (basic only) | £19,771 |
Group C
- Blaenau Gwent
- Ceredigion
- Denbighshire
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Torfaen
- Isle of Anglesey
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary | £19,771 |
| Band 1 leader | £63,020 |
| Band 1 deputy leader | £44,114 |
| Band 2 executive members | £37,812 |
| Band 3 committee chairs (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Band 4 Leader of the largest opposition group | £29,657 |
| Band 5 Leader of other political groups (if paid) and deputy civic head | £23,726 |
| Civic Head (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Deputy Civic Head (if paid) | £23,726 |
| Presiding member (if paid) | £29,657 |
| Deputy Presiding Member (basic only) | £19,771 |
There are no further changes to the payments and benefits paid to elected members. All current Determinations will be published on our website.
There have been no changes made to allowances for travel and subsistence; care and personal assistance; sickness absence; Corporate Joint Committees, assistants to the Executive, additional salaries and job-sharing arrangements.
Salaries for Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee: determination 3
The salary of a chair of a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee will continue to be aligned to Band 3 and will be set at £9,886.
The salary of a vice-chair is set at 50% of the Chair and will be £4,943.
There are no other changes.
Payments to national parks authorities and fire and rescue authorities: determination 4
The 3 national parks in Wales Eryri (Snowdonia), Pembrokeshire Coast and Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), were formed to protect spectacular landscapes and provide recreation opportunities for the public. The Environment Act 1995 led to the creation of a National Park Authority (NPA) for each park. National Park authorities comprise members who are either elected members nominated by the principal councils within the national park area or are members appointed by the Welsh Government through the Public Appointments process. Welsh Government appointed and council nominated members are treated equally in relation to remuneration.
The three fire and rescue services (FRAs) in Wales: Mid and West Wales, North Wales and South Wales were formed as part of Local Government re-organisation in 1996. FRAs comprise elected members who are nominated by the Principal Councils within each fire and rescue service area.
In line with the Panel’s decision to increase the basic salary of elected members of principal councils, the remuneration level for ordinary members of both NPAs and FRAs is also increased in line with ASHE.
The remuneration for Chairs will remain linked to a principal council Band 3 senior salary. Their role element will therefore increase accordingly. Deputy chairs, Committee chairs and other paid senior posts will remain linked to a Band 5. Full details of the levels of remuneration for members of NPAs and FRAs is set out in Table 2.
| National parks authorities | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary for ordinary member | £5,576 |
| Chair | £15,462 |
| Deputy Chair (where appointed) | £9,531 |
| Committee Chair or other senior post | £9,531 |
| Fire and rescue authorities | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary for ordinary member | £2,788 |
| Chair | £12,674 |
| Deputy Chair (where appointed) | £6,743 |
| Committee Chair or other senior post | £6,743 |
All current Determinations, including restrictions on receiving double allowances, will be published on our website. Other than the above increases, there are no changes proposed this year.
Payments made to co-opted members of principal councils, national park authorities and fire and rescue authorities: determination 5
The current Determination (made in the 2022 to 2023 annual report) states that coopted members of the relevant bodies should be remunerated on a day or half day basis. In addition, the relevant officer may decide on the total number of days remunerated in a year and set a reasonable time for meeting preparation.
The panel has noted the changes to working practices, put in place during Covid and now becoming more routine, that has meant a move towards more frequent use of online meetings and or training courses, often short, as well as more regular committee meetings. The panel also received feedback from Heads of Democratic Services raising this issue.
The panel therefore determined there should be local flexibility for the relevant officer to decide when it will be appropriate to apply a day or a half day rate or to use an hourly rate where it is sensible to aggregate a number of short meetings, as outlined in Table 3.
| Role | Hourly rate payment | Up to 4 hours payment rate | 4 hours and over payment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairs of standards, and audit committees | £33.50 | £134 | £268 |
| Ordinary Members of Standards Committees who also chair Standards Committees for Community and Town Councils | £29.75 | £119 | £238 |
| Ordinary Members of Standards Committees; Education Scrutiny Committee; Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee and Audit Committee | £26.25 | £105 | £210 |
| Community and Town Councillors sitting on Principal Council Standards Committees | £26.25 | £105 | £210 |
Payments to co-opted (lay) members of Corporate Joint Committees: determination 6
Co-opted lay members of a Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) will be paid on the same basis as coopted (lay) members with voting rights of other bodies within the local government family.
The amounts are set out below.
| Role | Hourly rate payment | Up to 4 hours payment rate | 4 hours and over payment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lay chairs of committees | £33.50 | £134 | £268 |
| Ordinary lay members with voting rights | £29.75 | £119 | £238 |
This determination is valid from 31 July 2024.
Community and Town Councils
The Panel continues to mandate payments for the extra costs of working from home and payments for office consumables. There is no change to the Determination made last year.
Mandatory payments: determination 7
Payment for extra costs of working from home
All councils must pay their members £156 a year (equivalent to £3 a week) towards the extra household expenses (including heating, lighting, power and broadband) of working from home.
Set payment for consumables
Councils must either pay their members £52 a year for the cost of office consumables required to carry out their role, or alternatively councils must enable members to claim full reimbursement for the cost of their office consumables.
It is a matter for each council to make and record a policy decision in respect of when and how the payments are made and whether they are paid monthly, yearly or otherwise. The policy should also state whether and how to recover any payments made to a member who leaves or changes their role during the financial year.
Compensation for financial loss: determination 8
Compensation for financial loss is an optional payment.
Previously, the Panel determined that an appropriate level of payment should be set at the daily rate of ASHE. To maintain this link, the figures for 2025 to 2026 are now proposed as:
£126.74 for a full day and £63.37 for a half day.
Reporting requirements: determination 9
Community and Town Councils are required to submit an annual statement of payments to the Panel by the 30 September each year, and also publish this on their website. The Panel have provided a template return for clerks to use.
The Panel have discussed and considered changing the requirements for Community and Town Councils when submitting their statement of payment returns. The Panel’s aim is to simplify administration and encourage Councils to ensure all mandatory payments are made to individual members.
The Panel proposed that from September 2024, the returns need only show the total amounts paid in respect of the mandatory payments mentioned above. That is the £156 contribution to the costs of working from home and the £52 set rate consumables allowance and the travel and subsistence expenses paid.
This brings these in line with the reporting of the costs of care and personal assistance allowances.
| Type of payment | Group requirement | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Extra costs payment | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Mandatory for all members |
| Senior role | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Mandatory £500 for 1 member; optional for up to 7 |
| Mayor or chair | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Optional: up to a maximum of £1,500 |
| Deputy Mayor or Mayor Chair | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Optional: up to a maximum of £500 |
| Attendance allowance | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Optional |
| Financial loss | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Optional |
| Travel and subsistence | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Optional |
| Costs of care or personal assistance | 1 (Electorate over 14,000) | Mandatory |
| Extra costs payment | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Mandatory for all |
| Senior role | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Mandatory for 1 member; optional up to 5 |
| Mayor or chair | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Optional; up to a maximum of £1,500 |
| Deputy mayor or mayor chair | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Optional; up to a maximum of £500 |
| Attendance allowance | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Optional |
| Financial loss | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Optional |
| Travel and subsistence | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Optional |
| Costs of care or personal assistance | 2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999) | Optional |
| Extra costs payment | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Mandatory for all members |
| Senior role | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Mandatory for 1 member; optional up to 5 |
| Mayor or chair | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Optional; up to a maximum of £1,500
|
| Deputy mayor or mayor chair | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Optional; up to a maximum of £500 |
| Attendance allowance | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Optional |
| Financial loss | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Optional |
| Travel and subsistence | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Optional |
| Costs of care or personal assistance | 3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999) | Mandatory for all |
| Extra costs payment | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Mandatory for all members |
| Senior role | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Optional; up to 3 members |
| Mayor or chair | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Optional; up to a maximum of £1,500 |
| Deputy mayor or mayor chair | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Optional; up to a maximum of £500 |
| Attendance allowance | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Optional |
| Financial loss | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Optional |
| Travel and subsistence | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Optional |
| Costs of care or personal assistance | 4 (Electorate over1,000 to 4,999) | Mandatory for all |
| Extra costs payment | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Mandatory for all |
| Senior role | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Optional up to 3 members |
| Mayor or chair | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Optional; up to a maximum of £1,500 |
| Deputy mayor or mayor chair | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Optional; up to a maximum of £500 |
| Attendance allowance | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Optional |
| Financial loss | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Optional |
| Travel and subsistence | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Optional |
| Costs of care or personal assistance | 5 (Electorate less than 1,000) | Mandatory for all |
Payments to Community and Town Councils
There have been no changes made to payments for undertaking senior roles; allowances for Travel and subsistence; Care and Personal Assistance or Attendance allowance. All current Determinations will be published on our website.
Summary of Determinations 2025 to 2026
Determination 1
The basic level of salary for elected members of principal councils is set at £19,771.
Determination 2
The salary of a leader of the largest (Group A) council will be £74,141. All other payments have been decided in reference to this. All payments are set out in Table 1.
Determination 3
The salary of a chair of a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be £9,886.
The salary of vice-chair will be £4,943.
Determination 4
The basic pay of members of National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities has been increased. All payments are set out in Table 2.
All current Determinations, including restrictions on receiving double allowances, will be published on our website. Other than the above increases, there are no changes proposed this year.
Determination 5
For co opted member payments, the Panel proposes there should be local flexibility for the relevant officer to decide when it will be appropriate to apply a day or a half day rate or to use an hourly rate where it is sensible to aggregate a number of short meetings.
The full and half day rates remain unchanged from 2024 to 2025. The only change is the stipulation of hourly rates, as set out in Table 3.
Determination 6
Determination 7
Members of Community and Town Councils will be paid £156 a year (equivalent to £3 a week) towards the extra household expenses (including heating, lighting, power and broadband) of working from home. And Councils must either pay their members £52 a year for the cost of office consumables required to carry out their role, or alternatively councils must enable members to claim full reimbursement for the cost of their office consumables.
Determination 8
Compensation for financial loss is an optional payment.
Previously, the Panel determined that an appropriate level of payment should be set at the daily rate of ASHE. To maintain this link, the figures for 2025 are now proposed as £126.74 for a full day and £63.37 for a half day.
Determination 9
The Panel proposes that from September 2024, the returns need only show the total amounts paid in respect of the mandatory payments mentioned above. That is the £156 contribution to the costs of working from home and the £52 set rate consumables allowance and the travel and subsistence expenses paid.
This brings these in line with the reporting of the costs of care and personal assistance allowances.
All other Determinations set out in the 2024 to 2025 Annual Report of the Panel remain valid and should be applied.
Contact details
To request a printed version of the Annual Report please email us or write to:
Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales
Third Floor East
Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Telephone: 03000 616095
Email: irpmailbox@gov.wales
This Annual Report and other information about the Panel and its work are available on our website.