Current Determinations

09/04/2025

Consolidated list of Independent Panel on Remunerations Determinations in force from 1 April 2025

Introduction

This is a list of all the determinations the Panel has made about salary and allowances which are in place for the year 2025 to 2026. The background information in respect of these Determinations can be found in the Panel’s Annual Reports of 2022, 2023, 2024 And 2025.

Principal Councils

Basic salary for elected members of Principal Councils

The Panel determined that for the financial year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 it is

right to retain the link between the basic salary of councillors and the average

salaries of their constituents. The basic salary will be aligned with three fifths of all

Wales 2023 ASHE, the latest figure available at drafting. This will be £19,771

(Determination 1 of 2025).

Salaries payable to senior, civic and presiding members of Principal Councils

The Panel has determined the maximum number of salaries payable to this category of councillors in each principal council. This is set out in Annex 1, which lists the latest numbers.

Salaries for senior members of Principal Councils

Salaries payable to basic, senior, civic and presiding members of principal councils are set out in Annex 2 (Determination 2 of 2025) therefore the salary of a leader of the largest (Group A) council will be £74,141. All other payments have been decided with reference to this.

Restrictions on senior post Remuneration

Posts within the principal council (Determination 7 of 2022):

an elected member must not be remunerated for more than 1 senior post within their authority.
an elected member must not be paid a senior salary and a civic salary.
all senior and civic salaries are paid inclusive of basic salary.
if a council chooses to have more than 1 remunerated deputy leader, the difference between the senior salary for the deputy leader and other executive members should be divided by the number of deputy leaders and added to the senior salary for other executive members in order to calculate the senior salary payable to each deputy leader.

Restrictions on payment for posts outside the Principal Council

Members in receipt of a Band 1 or Band 2 senior salary cannot receive a salary from any National Parks Authority (NPA) or Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) to which they have been appointed.

They remain eligible to claim travel and subsistence expenses and contribution towards costs of care and personal assistance from the NPA or FRA. (Determination 8 of 2022)

Members in receipt of a Band 1 or Band 2 salary cannot receive any payment from a community or town council of which they are a member. They remain eligible to claim travel and subsistence expenses and contribution towards costs of care and personal assistance from the community or town council. Where this situation applies, it is the responsibility of the individual member to comply. (Determination 9 of 2022)

Support to elected members of Principal Councils

Each authority, through its Democratic Services Committee, must ensure that all its elected members are given as much support as is necessary to enable them to fulfil their duties effectively. All elected members should be provided with adequate telephone, email and internet facilities giving electronic access to appropriate information. (Determination 10 of 2022)

Such support should be without cost to the individual member. Deductions must not be made from members’ salaries by the respective authority as a contribution towards the cost of support which the authority has decided necessary for the effectiveness and or efficiency of members. (Determination 11 of 2022)

Specific or additional senior salaries and assistants to the executive

Principal councils can apply for specific or additional senior salaries that do not fall within the current Framework (Determination 12 of 2022).

The Panel will decide on a case-by-case basis the appropriate senior salary, if any, for assistants to the executive (Determination 13 of 2022).

Guidance to local authorities on the application process was issued in April 2014.

Local Government Pension Scheme

The entitlement to join the Local Government Pension Scheme shall apply to all eligible elected members of principal councils (Determination 16 of 2022).

Family absence provisions for elected members of Principal Councils

In this section, “family absence” refers to maternity, newborn, adoption and parental absences from official business.

An elected member is entitled to retain a basic salary when taking family absence under the original regulations or any amendment to the regulations irrespective of the attendance record immediately preceding the commencement of the family absence. (Determination 17 of 2022)

When a senior salary holder is eligible for family absence, they will continue to receive the salary for the duration of the absence. (Determination 18 of 2022)

It is a matter for the authority to decide whether to make a substitute appointment. The elected member substituting for a senior salary holder taking family absence will be eligible to be paid a senior salary if the authority so decides. (Determination 19 of 2022)

If the paid substitution results in the authority exceeding the maximum number of senior salaries which relates to it, as set out in the Panel’s Annual Report, an addition to the maximum will be allowed for the duration of the substitution. However, this will not apply to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council if it would result in the number of senior salaries exceeding fifty percent of the Council membership. Specific approval of Welsh Ministers is required in such circumstances. (Determination 20 of 2022)

Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn was included in Determination 20 of 2022, but subsequent changes to the number of councillors for Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn made its inclusion in this exception unnecessary.

When a Council agrees a paid substitution for family absence the Panel must be informed within 14 days of the date of the decision, of the details including the particular post and the duration of the substitution (Determination 21 of 2022).

The Council’s schedule of remuneration must be amended to reflect the implication of the family absence (Determination 22 of 2022).

Sickness absence payments for senior salary holders of Principal Councils

The Panel’s framework provides arrangements for long term sickness absence for senior salary holders. These arrangements are set out in Annex 4.

Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committees (JOSC)

The salary of a chair of a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be £9,886 (Determination 3 of 2025).

The salary of vice chair will be £4,943 (Determination 3 of 2025).

Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs)

The Local Government and Elections Act 2021 established Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs) which comprise groups of principal councils. CJCs have specific functions which are set out in regulations. Paragraph 4 of The Corporate Joint Committee (General) (No.2) (Wales) is relevant to the Panel.

The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 is amended to include CJCs as relevant authorities for the functions of the Panel. Therefore, any payments made to members of a CJC must be determined by the Panel.

The payment of contribution to costs of care and travel and subsistence for CJC related activities has applied to all members of CJCs since 2022.

Payments to CJC coopted lay members are covered below under the heading Coopted Members of Principal Councils, National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities and lay members of Corporate Joint Committees.

Payments to National Parks Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities

The pay of members of National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities was increased in line with ASHE. All payments are set out in the following table (Determination 4 of 2025).

National Parks Authorities Amount

Basic salary for ordinary member £5,576

Chair £15,462

Deputy Chair (where appointed) £9,531

Committee Chair or other senior post £9,531

Fire and Rescue Authorities Amount

Basic salary for ordinary member £2,788

Chair £12,674

Deputy Chair (where appointed) £6,743

Committee Chair or other senior post £6,743

Members must not receive more than one NPA senior salary (Determination 27 of 2022).

A NPA senior salary is paid inclusive of the NPA basic salary (Determination 28 of 2022).

Members of a principal council in receipt of a Band 1 or Band 2 senior salary cannot receive a salary from any NPA to which they have been appointed. Where this situation applies, it is the responsibility of the individual member to comply (Determination 29 of 2022).

Members must not receive more than one FRA senior salary (Determination 34 of 2022).

An FRA senior salary is paid inclusive of the FRA basic salary and must reflect significant and sustained responsibility (Determination 35 of 2022).

Members of a principal council in receipt of a Band 1 or Band 2 senior salary cannot receive a salary from any FRA to which they have been nominated. Where this situation applies, it is the responsibility of the individual member to comply (Determination 36 of 2022).

Coopted members of Principal Councils, National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities and lay members of Corporate Joint Committees

Principal councils, NPAs and FRAs must pay their coopted members who have voting rights fees at the rates below (Determination 37 of 2022).

All determinations in this section that relate to coopted members will apply equally to CJC lay members with voting rights from 31 July 2024 (Review of remuneration for lay members of corporate joint committees Supplementary Report 2024).

The appropriate officer within the authority must set in advance whether a meeting is programmed for a full or half day. When the meeting is set for a full day, the fee will be paid on this basis even if the meeting finishes within 4 hours (Determination 40 of 2022).

The Panel has determined there should be local flexibility for the appropriate officer to decide when it will be appropriate to apply a day or a half day rate or to use an hourly rate where it is sensible to aggregate a number of short meetings. The amounts are set out in Determinations 5 and 6 of 2025.

Fees for coopted and lay members (with voting rights)

Role	Hourly rate payment	Up to 4 hours payment rate	4 hours and over payment rate
Chairs of standards, and audit committees and Lay chairs of Corporate Joint Committees	£33.50	£134	£268
Ordinary Members of Standards Committees who also chair Standards Committees for Community and Town Councils and lay members of Corporate Joint Committees with voting rights	£29.75	£119	£238
Ordinary Members of Standards Committees; Education Scrutiny Committee; Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee and Audit Committee	£26.25	£105	£210
Community and Town Councillors sitting on Principal Council Standards Committees	£26.25	£105	£210

Travelling time to and from the place of the meeting is to be included in the claims for payments made by coopted members (up to the maximum of the daily rate). (Determination 39, 2022)

Fees must be paid for meetings and other activities including other committees and working groups (including task and finish groups), pre meetings with officers, training and attendance at conferences or any other formal meeting to which coopted members are requested to attend. (Determination 41 of 2022)

Reasonable time for pre meeting preparation is to be included in claims made by coopted members the extent of which can be determined by the appropriate officer in advance of the meeting (Determination 5, 2023).

Each authority, through its Democratic Services Committee or other appropriate committee, must ensure that all voting coopted members are given as much support as is necessary to enable them to fulfil their duties effectively. Such support should be without cost to the individual member (Determination 42 of 2022).

Coopted and lay members of relevant authorities with voting rights are also able to claim travel, subsistence, care and personal assistance payments as set out in the sections below.

Community and Town Councils

Members of community and town councils will be paid £156 a year (equivalent to £3 a week) towards the extra household expenses (including heating, lighting, power and broadband) of working from home.

Councils must either pay their members £52 a year for the cost of office consumables required to carry out their role, or alternatively councils must enable members to claim full reimbursement for the cost of their office consumables (Determination 46 of 2023).

The payment for members undertaking a senior role is set out in Annex 3 (Determination 4 of 2023).

Community and town councils can pay financial loss compensation to each of their members, where such loss has occurred, for attending approved duties as follows (Determination 8 of 2025):-

up to £63.37 for each period not exceeding 4 hours
up to £126.74 for each period exceeding 4 hours but not exceeding 24 hours

Each council can decide to introduce an attendance allowance for members, subject to formal requirements set out in the Guidance. The amount of each payment must not exceed £30. A member in receipt of financial loss compensation will not be entitled to claim attendance allowance for the same event (Determination 49 of 2022).

Community and town councils can provide a payment to the mayor or chair of the council up to a maximum of £1,500. This is in addition to the £156 contribution to the cost of working from home and the fixed sum of £52 for office consumables and the £500 senior salary if these are claimed (Determination 50 of 2022 as uprated by the 2023 Report).

Community and town councils can provide a payment to the deputy mayor or deputy chair of the council up to a maximum of £500. This is in addition to the £156 contribution to the cost of working from home and the fixed sum of £52 for office consumables and the £500 senior salary if these are claimed (Determination 51 of 2022 as uprated by the 2023 Report).

The application of the Remuneration Framework by relevant Group are contained in Annex 3 (Determination 52 of 2022).

The Panel has determined that from September 2024, reporting returns due from all community and town councils need only show the total amounts paid in respect of the mandatory payments mentioned above. That is the £156 contribution to the costs of working from home and the £52 set rate consumables allowance and the travel and subsistence expenses paid. This brings these in line with the reporting of the costs of care and personal assistance allowances (Determination 8 of 2024).

Members in receipt of a Band 1 or Band 2 senior salary from a principal council (that is leader, deputy leader or executive member) cannot receive any payment from any community or town council, other than travel and subsistence expenses and contribution towards costs of care and personal assistance (Determination 53 of 2022).

Community and town councils can decide to reimburse their members in respect of travel and or subsistence costs for attending approved duties. Where the option to reimburse has been made, the Travel and subsistence expenses guidance must be applied (Determination 46 and 47 of 2022).

Travel and subsistence expenses

The rates of reimbursement of mileage, other travel costs and subsistence costs that can be claimed by members of principal councils, NPAs, FRAs, and their coopted members, and to members of CJCs and their lay members is set out below.

Community and Town Councils can opt to reimburse travel and or subsistence costs. Where the option to reimburse has been made, this must be as specified in the Travel and subsistence guidance.

Mileage costs

Reimbursement must be at the current HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) rates.

Other travel costs

All other claims for travel, including by taxi if this is the only or most appropriate method of transport, must only be reimbursed on actual cost as shown on receipts.

Subsistence costs

The maximum rates for subsistence payments are set out below on the basis of receipted claims:

£28 per 24-hour period allowance for meals, including breakfast where not provided
£200 London overnight
£95 elsewhere overnight
£30 staying with friends and or family overnight

Costs of Care and Personal Assistance Payments

All relevant authorities must provide a payment towards necessary costs for the care of dependent children and adults (provided by informal or formal carers) and for personal assistance needs as follows:

formal (registered with Care Inspectorate Wales or equivalent) care costs to be paid as evidenced
informal (unregistered) care costs to be paid up to a maximum rate equivalent to the Real Living Wage hourly rates as defined by the Living Wage Foundation at the time the costs are incurred

This must be for the additional costs incurred by members to enable them to carry out official business or approved duties. Each authority must ensure that any payments made are appropriately linked to official business or approved duty. Payment shall only be made on production of receipts from the care provider (Determination 43 of 2022).

Annex 1: maximum number of salaries payable to this category of Councillors in each Principal Council

Maximum numbers of council membership eligible for payment of a senior salary

Council	Population	Number of councillors	Maximum senior salaries payable
Cardiff	Group A	79	19
Rhondda Cynon Taf	Group A	75	19
Swansea	Group A	75	19
Bridgend	Group B	51	18
Caerphilly	Group B	69	18
Carmarthenshire	Group B	75	18
Conwy	Group B	55	18
Flintshire	Group B	66	18
Gwynedd	Group B	69	18
Neath Port Talbot	Group B	60	18
Newport	Group B	51	18
Pembrokeshire	Group B	60	18
Powys	Group B	68	18
Vale of Glamorgan	Group B	54	18
Wrexham	Group B	56	18
Blaenau Gwent	Group C	33	16
Ceredigion	Group C	38	17
Denbighshire	Group C	48	17
Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn	Group C	35	17
Merthyr Tydfil	Group C	30	15
Monmouthshire	Group C	46	17
Torfaen	Group C	40	17

Group A Councils: population over 200,000
Group B Councils: population 100,000 to 200,000
Group C Councils: population up to 100,000

Annex 2: salaries payable to basic, senior, civic and presiding members of Principal Councils

Group A

Cardiff
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea

Salaries payable to Basic, Senior, Civic and Presiding members of principal councils (Group A)

Description Amount

Basic salary £19,771

Band 1 leader £74,141

Band 1 deputy leader £51,899

Band 2 executive members £44,485

Band 3 committee chairs (if paid) £29,657

Band 4 Leader of the largest opposition group £29,657

Band 5 Leader of other political groups (if paid) £23,726
and deputy civic head

Civic Head (if paid) £29,657

Deputy Civic Head (if paid) £23,726

Presiding member (if paid) £29,657

Deputy Presiding Member (basic only) £19,771

Group B

Bridgend
Caerphilly
Carmarthenshire
Conwy
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Newport
Neath Port Talbot
Pembrokeshire
Powys
Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham

Salaries payable to Basic, Senior, Civic and Presiding members of principal councils (Group B)

Description Amount

Basic salary £19,771

Band 1 leader £66,727

Band 1 deputy leader £46,709

Band 2 executive members £40,036

Band 3 committee chairs (if paid) £29,657

Band 4 Leader of the largest opposition group £29,657

Band 5 Leader of other political groups (if paid) £23,726
and deputy civic head

Civic Head (if paid) £29,657

Deputy Civic Head (if paid) £23,726

Presiding member (if paid) £29,657

Deputy Presiding Member (basic only) £19,771

Group C

Blaenau Gwent
Ceredigion
Denbighshire
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouthshire
Torfaen
Ynys Môn

Salaries payable to Basic, Senior, Civic and Presiding members of principal councils (Group C)

Description Amount

Basic salary £19,771

Band 1 leader £63,020

Band 1 deputy leader £44,114

Band 2 executive members £37,812

Band 3 committee chairs (if paid) £29,657

Band 4 Leader of the largest opposition group £29,657

Band 5 Leader of other political groups (if paid) £23,726
and deputy civic head

Civic Head (if paid) £29,657

Deputy Civic Head (if paid) £23,726

Presiding member (if paid) £29,657

Deputy Presiding Member (basic only) £19,771

Annex 3: Extra costs payment (per group) mandatory for all members of Community and Town Councils

Payments to Community and Town Councils

Type of Payment	Group	Requirement
Extra costs payment	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Mandatory for all members
Senior role	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Mandatory £500 for 1 member; optional for up to 7
Mayor or chair	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Optional: up to a maximum of £1,500
Deputy mayor or deputy chair	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Optional: up to a maximum of £500
Attendance allowance	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Optional
Financial loss	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Optional
Travel and subsistence	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Optional
Costs of care or personal assistance	1 (Electorate over 14,000)	Mandatory
Extra costs payment	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Mandatory for all members
Senior role	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Mandatory for 1 member; optional up to 5
Mayor or chair	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Optional: up to a maximum of £1,500
Deputy mayor or deputy chair	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Optional: up to a maximum of £500
Attendance allowance	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Optional
Financial loss	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Optional
Travel and subsistence	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Optional
Costs of care or personal assistance	2 (Electorate over 10,000 to 13,999)	Mandatory
Extra costs payment	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Mandatory for all members
Senior role	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Optional up to 3 members
Mayor or chair	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Optional: Up to a maximum of £1,500
Deputy mayor or deputy chair	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Optional: Up to a maximum of £500
Attendance allowance	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Optional
Financial loss	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Optional
Travel and subsistence	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Optional
Costs of care or personal assistance	3 (Electorate over 5,000 to 9,999)	Mandatory
Extra Costs Payment	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Mandatory for all members
Senior Role	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Optional up to 3 members
Mayor or Chair	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Optional: Up to a maximum of £1,500
Deputy Mayor or Deputy Chair	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Optional: Up to a maximum of £500
Attendance Allowance	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Optional
Financial Loss	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Optional
Travel and Subsistence	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Optional
Costs of Care or Personal Assistance	4 (Electorate over 1,000 to 4,999)	Mandatory
Extra Costs Payment	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Mandatory for all members
Senior Role	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Optional up to 3 members
Mayor or Chair	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Optional up to a maximum of £1,500
Deputy Mayor or Deputy Chair	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Optional up to a maximum of £500
Attendance Allowance	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Optional
Financial Loss	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Optional
Travel and Subsistence	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Optional
Cost of Care or Personal Assistance	5 (Electorate less than 1,000)	Mandatory

Annex 4: sickness absence payments for senior salary holders of Principal Councils

The Panel’s framework provides arrangements for long term sickness absence for senior salary holders as follows:

Long term sickness is defined as certified absences in excess of 4 weeks.
The maximum length of sickness absence within these proposals is 26 weeks or until the individual’s term of office ends, whichever is sooner (but if reappointed any remaining balance of the 26 weeks will be included).
Within these parameters a senior salary holder on long term sickness can, if the authority decides, continue to receive remuneration for the post held.
It is a decision of the authority whether to make a substitute appointment, but the substitute will be eligible to be paid the senior salary appropriate to the post.
If the paid substitution results in the authority exceeding the maximum number of senior salaries payable for that authority, as set out in the Annual Report, an addition will be allowed for the duration of the substitution. (However, this would not apply to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council if it would result in more than 50% of the membership receiving a senior salary. It would also not apply in respect of a council executive member if it would result in the cabinet exceeding 10 posts, the statutory maximum).
When an authority agrees a paid substitution, the Panel must be informed within 14 days of the decision of the details including the specific post and the estimated length of the substitution. The authorities’ Schedule of Remuneration must be amended accordingly.
It does not apply to elected members of principal councils who are not senior post holders as they continue to receive basic salary for at least 6 months irrespective of attendance and any extension beyond this timescale is a matter for the authority.