Councillors’ wages frozen for 3rd time

Wages for councillors are to be frozen for the third year in a row.

The Scottish Government announced it had rejected a recommended 16.5 per cent increase for councillors across Scotland.

The Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee had suggested councillors’ basic salary should rise from its current level of £16,234 to £18,916. Its report, published in March, argued senior councillors were working harder and had more responsibilities.

It also suggested the leaders of Glasgow and Edinburgh councils should receive £63,000 a year, with leaders of smaller authorities earning at least £44,000.

But local government minister Derek Mackay said that “against a background of unprecedented cuts to Scotland’s budget by the UK Government and the need for continuing pay restraint across the public sector” he had decided not to implement the increases.

Councillors have had their pay frozen since 2010-11. Mr Mackay said he would look again at the issue next year, ahead of 2013-14, to “see what is affordable, sustainable and appropriate at that time”.