Powys county councillors to receive 6.4% pay rise from April 2026

Powys county councillors will see their basic salary rise to £21,044 from April 2026 after a 6.4 per cent increase was confirmed this week.

The uplift has been set by Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, which is responsible for determining pay for elected members across Wales, including Powys County Council.

The increase matches the latest Office for National Statistics Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, meaning councillor pay will rise in line with the average pay increase across Wales.

Publishing its first Annual Remuneration Report since taking over the role in 2025, the Commission said it had decided to maintain the link with national average earnings for now.

Chief Executive Shereen Williams MBE OStJ said: “The Commission is pleased to publish its first remuneration report since responsibilities were transferred to us from the former Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.

“We’d like to thank councils and others who responded to the consultation. Many considered arguments were made during the consultation.

“Councillors across Wales serve their communities with dedication, and run services that we all rely on every day. Research by the Commission shows that councillors are working an average of 28 hours per week on their roles, with many of them doing this on top of another job.

“We recognise however that council budgets are stretched and the cost of living has increased for everyone, and we’ll look at new ways of deciding councillor pay for future years over the coming months.”

During consultation on the draft report in September 2025, eight principal councils across Wales called for a smaller increase in pay, while one council asked for no increase at all.

The 6.4 per cent rise will also apply to the additional role payments received by council leaders and cabinet members in Powys and elsewhere in Wales. Allowances for community and town councillors will remain unchanged.

The Commission has said it will set out plans in the coming months for reviewing how councillor pay is determined from 2027 onwards.

Powys County Council, like other authorities in Wales, is required to implement the determinations set out in the report.