THE AMOUNT Ceredigion councillors receive has risen by more than £1,100 in a year, and £2,100 in two, with the leader’s salary rising by a shade under £7,000 in just two years, and nearly £9,500 in three.
At the March meeting of Ceredigion County council, members backed the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales recommendations for councillors’ salaries.
The total for the 19 councillors on basic salaries of £19,771 each, up from £18,666 in 2024-’25, amounts to £375,649.
The total for the six cabinet members, on £37,812 each, together with the leader (£63,020) and deputy leader (£44,114) amounts to £334,006.
Other senior salaries, including the leader of the largest opposition group and chairs of the various council committees, at £29,657, amounts to £266,913; adding the cabinet and leadership roles brings this to £600,919.
A maximum of 17 senior salaries for Ceredigion County Council may be paid and this has not been exceeded.
The two civic salaries of chair (£29,657) and vice-chair (£23,726) total £53,383.
The rates set by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales rather than the county council itself.
In 2024, the rates were: basic salary £18,666, Leader £59,498, Deputy Leader £41,649, Cabinet Member £35,699, Senior members such as Leader of the Largest Opposition Group £27,999, Civic Head (Chair of the Council) £27,999, and Deputy Civic Head (Vice Chair of the Council) £22,406.
Back in 2023, the basic rate rose by £800 from the previous year to £17,600.
More senior members of the council also saw pay rises that year; the leader getting a £2,550 a year pay rise, up to £56,100; the deputy leader receiving £39,270, with the six cabinet members receiving £33,660 each.
The eight committee chairs were paid £26,400, the leader of the opposition also receiving the same amount.
The council chair also got a £26,400 salary, the vice-chair £21,340.
In terms on year-on-year increases for the past two years, the basic level for 2025-’26 has risen by £1,105 and £2,171 from 2024 and 2023 levels respectively.
Other rises from same periods are: Leader (£3,522 and £6,920), Deputy Leader (£2,465 and £4,844), Cabinet member (£2,113 and £4,152), Senior member (£1,658 and £3257), Chair (£1,658 and £3,257), and Vice-Chair (£1,320 and £2,386).
Discussing the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ Annual Report at the March meeting of the council, Leader Bryan Davies reiterated the levels set were “completely out of our hands,” conceding: “We’re going to be judged, I’m sure of that.”
Members unanimously agreed to note the report and approve a string of related conditions.
