Councillors in Bristol are set to receive a four per cent pay rise this financial year, backdated to last April. The pay rise is expected to cost Bristol City Council about an extra £60,000.
Councillors are not paid a normal salary for their work but a basic allowance of £14,580 a year, and this will now increase to £15,169. Some councillors are paid extra, like political group leaders or the chairs of scrutiny commissions.
The 4.04 per cent pay rise was revealed in papers going to a full council meeting on Tuesday, January 10. The increase is much less than the current rate of inflation, which is 10.7 per cent according to the Bank of England.
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Council papers said: “The panel is aware that the local government sector is experiencing financial challenges, but is strongly of the view that elected representatives must be remunerated fairly for the duties they undertake, particularly with the current pressures impacting the cost of living.”
The pay increase was recommended by an independent remuneration panel, and councillors will note the recommendations during the full council meeting next week. Council papers revealed how much some councillors were paid for their work in 2021–22:
- The mayor was paid £83,082
- Deputy mayors were paid £42,033
- Cabinet members were paid £39,942
- The lord mayor was paid £37,831
- Political group leaders were paid £28,638
- Chairs of scrutiny commissions and planning committees were paid £21,745
