Powys council cabinet snubs pay increase to save £56,000
Council leaders in Powys say they are snubbing a pay rise, which will save the authority more than £56,000.
The 10 cabinet members have decided to accept an annual allowance below the one set by the previous administration.
Council leader David Jones' allowance would have risen to £47,500, but he will receive £34,500.
The cabinet said the increase was recommended by the Independent Remunerations Panel for Wales (IRPW).
The panel is independent of central and local government and has been operating since 2008.
It sets out the type and levels of payments that authorities may or must make available to their members. It is able to prescribe different amounts for different councils.
As well as £34,500 for Powys council's leader, his nine cabinet colleagues will receive £24,500 each.
Under the recommended increase in allowances, the leader would have received £47,500, the deputy leader would have earned £33,460, while eight fellow cabinet members would have been handed £28,780 each.
The move will save the council £56,200, said a cabinet statement.
Leader Mr Jones said: "I am pleased that the cabinet have decided individually to take a far lower senior salary than the IRPW have instructed all councils across Wales to pay.
"The cabinet and I are determined to show that we are going to lead by example."
The move comes a year after the previous council administration voted to increase their annual allowance as the authority moved away from a ruling board of 15 councillors to a cabinet of 10 members.
The decision, which saw money spent on 15 councillors spread among the new 10 members, was criticised.
Following the local elections earlier this month, a new administration has taken control of the council.
It is made up of seven councillors from the Shires Independent Group and three non-aligned members.