Councillors set for 6.4% pay hike say it’s too much

INDEPENDENT BODY'S PROPOSAL ‘OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY’ AND RETHINK URGED

- By ALEC DOYLE Local Democracy Reporter

FLINTSHIRE councillors have accused the independent body charged with setting elected members pay of being ‘out of touch with reality.

The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) has issued a draft report which would see Flintshire councillors’ salaries increased by 6.4% from April.

‘The move would see elected members’ basic pay rise from £19,771 to £21,044, with comparable increases for Cabinet members and committee chairs. The Leader of the council's would see their pay increase from £66,727 to £71,025.

Flintshire County Council's Liberal Democrat Group leader Cllr Andrew Parkhurst criticised the report's above inflation proposals when they came before the authority's Constitution and Democratic Services Committee on Wednesday.

“I wonder whether the DBCC are out of touch with reality,’ said Cllr Parkhurst. “Proposing a 6.4% increase for councillors may well link in with average earnings in Wales, but at a time when local authorities are facing almost bankruptcy in some cases that doesn’t sit comfortably.

“I think that any increase above inflation is very hard to justify.”