THE leader of Ceredigion council following next May’s elections is in for a bumper £9,000 pay rise, as an independent panel recommends salary hikes for all councillors.

Councillor pay is set by the Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) and in its draft annual report for 2022/23 an increase of 17 per cent is proposed for all councillors – taking a basic salary to £16,800 – which is says “reinstates a link to average Welsh earnings for three days work.”

The plan would see a basic councillor salary rise nearly £2,500 from £14,368 for 2022, when a new set of councillors will be elected in May.

Recommendations also include a near £9,000 pay hike for the council leader from the current £44,921 to £53,550.

The council’s deputy leader salary would rise from £31,783 to £37,485.

The news of proposed councillor pay hiked comes just weeks after members approved a pay bump for the council’s chief executive, Eifion Evans.

At a meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s democratic services committee on Friday, 15 October councillors questioned the increase and resolved that despite being unable to overturn the recommendation “we as a committee aren’t comfortable with this size of increase.”

Although the level of work expected by a councillor was reflected in the salary the committee felt it was “excessive” compared to the pay increases being offered council staff.

It “will be up to those elected in May 2022 whether to accept it”, members heard.

Chairman Cllr Ceredig Davies added that the final decision on a response to the IRPW plans be made by a cross party members’ panel.

The IRPW said: “It has been a difficult time for the public sector but local authorities in Wales have demonstrated their resilience and capabilities over the past 18 months.

“2022 is an election year for local government and the new five year term provides the opportunity to reset the basic salaries of elected members to align with the average earnings in Wales.

“This has been eroded in successive years, primarily as a result of austerity measures.

“We consider that it is important that the payments to elected members of principal councils be fair and at a level that is not a disincentive to potential candidates for election.

“Our firm belief is that this is a reset moment for Welsh democracy and for valuing our public services.”

The draft plan is currently out for consultation until 26 November.