Blaenau Gwent councillors 'uncomfortable' with pay rise

Ebbw Vale is one of the main towns in Blaenau Gwent

Councillors in one of Wales' most deprived boroughs have said they feel "uncomfortable" receiving a pay rise during the cost of living crisis.

Basic councillor salaries will go up by 4.76% across Wales from 1 April.

In November Blaenau Gwent council had said they were "unhappy" with the proposals, but have now agreed to accept the report.

This means councillors' salaries will rise in line with recommendations.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Blaenau Gwent council have now noted the decision of the Independent Remuneration Panel of Wales (IRPW) to raise councillor salaries.

Councillor Joanna Wilkins said: "This comes up year on year, and [the] committee felt very much uncomfortable with the rises but accepted the recommendations in the report in order to come to full council for discussion".

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The IRPW report explains that the panel met in February and confirmed that basic councillor salary will go up by £800.

Increases will also be made to the salary of the leader, deputy leader and cabinet members to reflect levels of extra responsibility.

Councillor Joanna Wilkins says the issue comes up year on year

Blaenau Gwent councillors agreed in November to tell the IRPW that their pay "should be frozen" at its current level, due to the financial "dark times" the country is experiencing.

But following an eight-week consultation period last year, the IRPW decided to go ahead with the proposals.

IRPW chairwoman Frances Duffy said: "Overall, the responses supported the panel's determinations and so no changes have been made".

Blaenau Gwent council leader councillor Steve Thomas said: "What we asked for was not adhered to.

"Clearly from the report I see we were in the minority," he said.

"We can't take any other decision than to note the report."

The salary changes for leaders, cabinet members and chairpersons 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

• Committee chairman/chairwoman - £26,400 up from £25,593

• Leader of the largest opposition group - £26,400 up from £25,593

In 2022, the IRPW gave councillors in Wales a pay rise of £2,432 after reinstating the link between councillors' salaries and the Annual Survey of Hourly Earnings (ASHE), which is published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The smaller rise this year is to allow the changes from last year to "bed in".