Councillors were paid around £730,000 in 2021/22 according to figures released by East Ayrshire Council.
But elected members only claimed £2,774 in expenses over the year.
The basic income for a councillor sat at £18,566 in 2021/22.
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) claim that councillors work, on average, 38.5 hours a week, meaning that the hourly pay sits around £9.27.
This is higher than the minimum wage for the period (£8.36), but below the real living wage of £9.90 per hour.
The basic allowance has risen to £19,571 a year, beginning in April 2022.
Cabinet members responsible for portfolios such as education, finance, roads and the environment received a salary of £27,078, which includes the basic £18,566 income.
Council Leader Douglas Reid received £37,138.
Councillor Barry Douglas, who was provost from June 24, 2021 received £27,637 while Councillor Sally Cogley, who became depute provost received £24,318.
Councillor Jim Todd, who was provost previously received £21,411 and councillor Claire Leitch, who took over a cabinet portfolio having been depute provost received £26,930.
Opposition leaders also received senior councillor remuneration.
Conservative leader Tom Cook received £27,078 as did Labour leader John McGhee and Councillor Neil McGhee, who was Labour’s second cabinet representative.
In total, 18 of East Ayrshire’s 32 councillors received more than the basic councillor allowance.
Just three councillors claimed mileage. Both Drew Filson (£1,115) and Jim Roberts (£1,552) live in rural parts of the authority. Council leader Douglas Reid also claimed £105.
The council lays out the four levels of remuneration payments for councillors, depending on their responsibilities. These are leader of the council, provost, senior councillor and councillor.
Remuneration is subject to income tax and national insurance deductions.
The council has also published the amount of expenses reimbursed to councillors. These include travel expenses, subsistence expenses and telephone allowances. The level of allowances is set by regulation and represents reasonable reimbursement of actual amounts incurred by councillors in carrying out their council duties.
The members expenses information also includes money spent by the council to provide equipment such as mobile phones and broadband facilities. These are met directly by the council.
A council spokesperson said: “The expenses incurred by each councillor vary depending on a number of factors including the distance they live from council headquarters, the area covered by their ward and attendance at meetings of external bodies.
“When councillors use their own cars for council business they are also entitled to reasonable reimbursement for their out of pocket expenses, in accordance with the regulations.”
Details of the payments to each councillor are available in council local offices and libraries.
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