Bristol city councillors to get 6% pay hike in new council model

The council will switch to a committee-based system in May

Bristol city councillors will get a 6% pay hike under a new committee system, it has been revealed.

In May, the council will switch from being run by a directly-elected mayor to a series of committees after a referendum in 2022.

The annual basic allowance that all 70 members receive will increase from £15,758 to £16,681.

The newly created role of leader of the council will get three times that - just over £50k.

But because residents voted to scrap a directly elected mayor in last year's referendum, seven cabinet roles, as well as the mayor and two deputy mayors, and five scrutiny chairs will no longer exist.

Therefore, the overall cost of member allowances will fall by £33,000, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The recommendations, proposed by an independent remuneration panel, are expected to be approved by full council on Tuesday 12 December.

Marvin Rees will step down as mayor after the next local elections

A report to the meeting said the task to decide the right pay for each role under the forthcoming system had been "challenging" because of the "limited experience of such a large council operating a committee model of governance", so the new arrangements would be reviewed in 12 months.

Some key positions attract special responsibility allowances (SRAs), which are in addition to the basic allowance, to recognise their significant duties and demands on the post holder.

The report said that unlike in a leader/cabinet executive model, which operates in neighbouring authorities, Bristol City Council's leader would not have direct powers or determine decision-making arrangements.

"That said, it is clear that the leader will hold a significant role in the [council's] political management, good governance and strategic direction," the report said.

The deputy leader will be on double the basic allowance but will be paid less than the chairs of the eight new policy committees - considered to be the equivalent of cabinet members - who will receive £41,703.

Committee vice-chairs will get just over £25,000.

The lord mayor, an historic, ceremonial role, will have a £41,703 salary and their deputy, £25,022.

The report added there was also an additional existing budget of £1,500 "to cover a clothing allowance for the lord mayor".

A new sliding scale will be introduced for political group leaders depending on how many councillors they are in charge of.

Each will receive a £5,004 SRA and an additional £2,085 if their group has between three and 10 members in the chamber, and increasing amounts of £16,681.

There will be no extra payment for leaders of parties with only one or two councillors.