COUNCILLORS in Blaenau Gwent will tell the Independent Remuneration Panel of Wales (IRPW) that they don’t want a pay rise next year.

They hope other councils in Wales will follow their lead and agree to freeze councillors’ salary at this year’s level.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on Thursday, November 24, councillors discussed how they were going to respond to the IRPW consultation on their draft proposals.

In October, the IRPW proposed that the basic salary goes up by 4.76 per cent which equates to £800 for the 2023/24 financial year.

This would take councillors basic pay up to £17,600.

Increases would also be made to the salary of the leader, deputy leader and cabinet members on top of the basic rise.

Councils across Wales have until December 1 to respond to the IRPW’s draft annual report which is expected to be finalised next February.

Council leader Cllr Steve Thomas explained that the basic salary had gone up earlier this year by £2432 as the IRPW had reinstated the link between councillors’ salary and the Annual Survey of Hourly Earnings (ASHE) which is published by the Office of National Statistics. (ONS).

While going through the report Cllr Thomas indicated that his group are “unhappy” with the IRPW’s proposals and wanted to respond to the consultation.

Cllr Thomas: “We are entering dark times financially and I have grave concerns.

“Given the current financial and cost of living crisis we do not agree that the basic salary nor the proposed uplift to elements of bands one and two (leader, deputy leader and cabinet) should be referenced to the Ash 2021 data.

“We feel that all roles should continue as they are.”

Cllr Thomas put this forward as the council’s official response to the consultation

Deputy opposition leader Cllr Wayne Hodgins agreed to the proposal and said that councillors could add their own comments to it.

Cllr Thomas said: “It’s important that they hear from people through the consultation, I am hoping that other councils will take the opportunity to reflect that.

“We’re not knocking the IRPW they have a role to play, but we are in extraordinary circumstances.”

Cllr Thomas explained that the council could have to “deal” with the IRPW final decision next year, and that councillors “as we have found out in a number of meetings,” might be legally bound to take the pay rise.

If this is the case, Cllr Thomas said that councillors could “make arrangements with the finance team” that would allow them to donate a portion of their salary to charity, worthy causes, or the presiding member’s fund.

Councillors unanimous agreed to tell the IRPW that that their salaries should be frozen to their current level.

The salary changes to leader, deputy leader and cabinet member proposed by the IRPW are:

  • Leader – £56,100 up from £53,550.
  • Deputy leader – £39,2750 up from £37,485.
  • Cabinet members – £33,660 up from £32,130.