Will I get paid?

Different forms of financial support are available for councillors. This includes direct remuneration as well as the reimbursement of expenses.

The basic annual pay for councillors is set nationally (The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Amendment Regulations 2020) and from 1 April 2020 is £17,854 per annum. This applies to a councillor with no significant additional responsibilities in the council’s policy development or decision making structures.
Four ‘salary’ levels for Leader of the Council have been set nationally, calculated according to a council’s banding – £29,760, £35,713, £41,662 and £53,567.
Individual councils have the capacity to make enhanced payments to a specified number of senior councillors with significant additional responsibilities. The maximum which a council can pay a senior councillor is 75% of the pay of the Leader of the Council. Councils decide the level of salary to be paid to each of the senior councillors within the overall budget limit set for that purpose.
Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme if a councillor so wishes.
Reimbursement of receipted travel and subsistence expenses necessarily incurred during approved council duties.

Details of all councillors’ remuneration and expenses are published annually.