Councillors' remuneration and expenses: recommendations

Recommendations

R1 On the basis of the evidence gathered, the Committee recommends that the role of councillor continues to be fulfilled on a part-time basis, while the role of Senior Councillors is likely to require to be fulfilled on a full-time basis.

R2 Notwithstanding R1 above, the Committee recommends that the definitions “full-time” and “part-time” should no longer be applied when describing the role of councillors, and that the role should be treated as a public office within Scotland’s democratic processes, as is the case for MPs and MSPs.

R3 The Committee recommends that all 10 councils currently within Band A should be funded to enable the appointment of up to a maximum of 10 Senior Councillors, and that no other changes to the maximum numbers of Senior Councillors in Bands B, C and D are required.

R4 The Committee recommends that all councils currently within Band A should move into Band B, and that there should be no change to the councils currently within Bands C and D.

R5 The Committee recommends that all bandings are reviewed by SLARC in advance of each Council election.

R6 The Committee recommends that the salaries of councillors be set at 80% of the median salary for all employees in the public sector in Scotland as published in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) resulting in an annual salary of £24,581 with effect from 1 April 2024.

R7 The Committee recommends that this proportionate link to median public sector salaries in Scotland is accepted as the methodology on which councillor salaries are established.

R8 The Committee recommends that the salaries of Council Leaders in the current Band D (Glasgow and Edinburgh) are benchmarked at the salary of a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP).

R9 The Committee recommends that the salaries of Council Leaders in the current Band C be set at 85% of the salary of those in current Band D; and those in the combined Bands A and B be set at 70% of the salary of those in the current Band D (Table 5, Page 36).

R10 The Committee recommends that the salaries of Civic Heads and Senior Councillors continue to be set at up to a maximum of 75% of the salary of their Council Leader (Table 5, Page 36).

R11 The Committee recommends that the salaries of all councillors continue to be uplifted on an annual basis as per the current arrangements introduced in 2017, which are in line with the median increase in earnings of public sector employees in Scotland, as published by the ASHE.

R12 The Committee recommends that the current regulations (2010) on councillors’ expenses for travel, subsistence and accommodation should be replaced by the provisions applying to officers in their respective Councils.

R13 The Committee recognises the joint work underway by COSLA and Police Scotland aimed at tackling the issue of councillors’ safety, including online safety, and recommends that training and resources for councillors should continue to be developed and kept under review by both organisations.

R14 The Committee recommends that resettlement (severance) payments are introduced for councillors losing office. This should be modelled on the system applied to MSPs and should be in place for the next election cycle.

R15 The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government considers whether existing legislation needs to be reviewed to strengthen requirements on councillors to perform their duties. Given the Committee’s recommended link of councillor pay to 80% of median public sector pay, councils should monitor and report upon councillor activity levels and attendance at formal council meetings.

R16 The Committee recommends that all councils should review their internal and partnership governance arrangements, to assure themselves that councillors are able to fulfil their statutory duties.

R17 The Committee recommends that all councils continue to provide induction for new councillors as well as ongoing topic-based training using a variety of delivery methods to ensure maximum take-up. It is important when these opportunities are provided, that councillors take advantage of them, and participation levels should be reported publicly.

R18 The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government and COSLA make a joint public statement endorsing the important role played by councils and councillors in delivering a wide range of critical local services. This statement should spearhead a wider multi-media public awareness campaign between now and the next Council Election, designed to raise public awareness and encourage potential candidates to stand for office.

R19 The Committee recommends that COSLA develops a Pre-Election Induction Programme for potential council candidates. This should provide potential candidates with an accurate understanding of the role of the councillor and the demands they are likely to face. This should also contain details of how political parties will support candidates before, during and after their election campaign, including unsuccessful candidates.

R20 The Committee recommends the establishment of a national dataset showing the demographic composition of the country’s councillors, and how this is changing. Overtime, such data will identify key population groups who continue to be under-represented within councils to enable action to be taken to remove barriers and enable wider participation.

R21 The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government and COSLA, working alongside representatives drawn from all under-represented groups, should consider how best to enhance supports for councillors in these groups, and develop proposals to support, encourage and enable more people from under-represented groups to stand for office, particularly women, young people and people with a disability.

R22 The Committee recommends that the Scottish Government and COSLA work together to ensure adequate provision is made to provide a minimum level of Members Support Services.

Graphic text below:

Figures illustrating the differences in Local Government

32 Councils

1,226 Councillors in Scotland

5,436,600 Population served by Scottish Councils

£13,231m Local Government Budget 2023/2024

262,000 Employees in Local Government. 44% of public sector.

68% Councillors first elected in 2017 and 2022

60 km area of Dundee city Council

25,659km area of Highland Council

22,450 population of Orkney

635,130 population of Glasgow

2,100 workforce of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

28,000 workforce of Glasgow city Council

£80.6M budget of Orkney Council

£1,529.3M budget of Glasgow city Council