The Independent Remuneration Panel:
- is made up 5 people
- meets on a regular basis to discuss councillors’ allowances
No one on the panel is a councillor or council employee.
What the panel does
The Independent Remuneration Panel reviews the allowances scheme which includes:
- the councillors’ basic allowance
- the special responsibility allowance
- childcare and dependant carer allowances
- travel and subsistence payments and the circumstances under which they are paid
- co-opted members’ allowances (co-opted members are people who are not councillors but are invited to sit on certain council committees)
The panel bases any recommendations it makes by:
- looking at a large amount of data to set the scheme within a national and regional context
- comparing against other local authorities
- interviewing councillors
- looking at examples of good practice
The panel also meets individual councillors to discuss how the scheme is working.
The panel may be asked to review allowances for town and parish councillors as well as other reviews such as consideration of the mayoral allowance.
Panel review
At its full council meeting on Wednesday 14 January 2026, the council agreed all the recommendations received from an Independent Remuneration Panel.
The panel made recommendations in respect of the scheme for the payment of allowances to councillors due to be implemented from 1 April 2026.
1. Basic allowance
The basic allowance payable to all councillors is £10,155 per annum. This has been calculated using a 30% public service discount and is subject to annual indexation.
2. Special responsibility allowances
No councillor may receive more than one special responsibility allowance at any time.
The following special responsibility allowances are payable per annum:
- Leader of the Council: £33,512
- Deputy Leader: £20,107
- Cabinet Member with Portfolio: £18,432
- Mayor of the Council: £13,405
- Deputy Mayor of the Council: £4,424
- Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission: £8,378
- Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Panels: £6,702
- Chair of the Planning Committee: £8,378
- Vice Chair of the Planning Committee: £1,676
- Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee: £3,351
- Chair of the Employment Committee: £2,513
- Chair of the Licensing and Safety Committee: £5,027
Single Minority Group Leaders will receive an allowance calculated at £817 per group member, provided the group represents at least 15% of council membership.
No special responsibility allowance is payable for:
- Single Minority Group Deputy Leader
- Vice Chair of the Licensing and Safety Committee
3. Co-opted and independent persons allowances
The following allowances will continue, with annual indexation, at the rates shown:
- Co-opted members: £355 per annum
- Co-opted members preparing for and attending Code of Conduct Panels: £69 for meetings up to 4 hours and £139 for meetings over 4 hours
- Education Appeal Panel members: £65 for hearings up to 4 hours and £129 for hearings over 4 hours
- Independent Person Code of Conduct Panel: £400 per annum
- Reserve Independent Person Code of Conduct Panel: £200 per annum
4. Travel and subsistence
Travel and subsistence allowances will continue in line with HMRC rates, with no changes.
5. Dependant carers allowance
Dependant carers allowance will continue on two rates:
- Childcare: linked to the Real Living Wage as recommended by the Living Wage Foundation.
- Specialist care: reimbursed at actual cost on production of receipts and required evidence, including medical evidence where appropriate.
No daily or monthly maximum applies when undertaking approved duties.
6. Parental leave
The council will continue its parental leave policy for councillors.
7. Indexation
The basic allowance, each special responsibility allowance, and the co opted and independent persons allowances will be increased annually in line with the percentage increase in staff salaries from April 2026, for up to 4 years.
Panel report
You can read the panel report below.
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