Over the weekend, I published the latest attendance figures for Havering's councillors. I also revealled how much senior councillors have earned since the elections in 2022. You can read the stats from that blog by clicking below.
Today, I am shining a spotlight on my own pay and continuing my record of publishing my payslips for my role as a councillor.
Before you read on...
I send regular email updates, on my work and on key developments in Havering. If you'd like to get these, please sign-up to get my emails.
Your information isn't shared with anyone else, including any political party, and I do not send election campaign material.
Attendance
Since the elections in May 2022, the first time that I was elected as a councillor, I have been expected at a total of 85 meetings. This is the third highest of all Havering's councillors. From those 85, I have attended 77. So, I've missed 8 and have an attendance record of 91%.
Attending 77 meetings makes me the second highest for number of meetings attended. This represents that I sit on a number of committees. I attend Audit, the Overview and Scrutiny Board, and am Chairman of the Places Committee.
Not all councillors enjoy committees, but I do. I think it is important to not just be out and about in the public, but also to be busy scrutinising budgets and decisions in the Town Hall. Every councillor does the role differently, some spending more time doings things like litter picks, whilst others spend more time in the Town Hall.
Both approaches are needed.
Hours worked
I allocated two hours a day to my role as a councillor, fitting it in around my day job. This time can be spent handling emails, on the phone to residents or council staff, or perhaps meeting a local business to support them with a problem they have.
Taking 1st June 2022 as a 'start date', I have worked 1470 hours as a councillor. On top of this, I have attended 77 meetings. Giving a meeting an average of 2 hours in length (many are longer), this means I have spent a further 154 hours in meetings.
In total, I have put in around 1624 hours in my role as a councillor since being elected.
So, what am I paid for that?
My Pay
A councillor's basic pay is £10,412. Since the election this means my basic pay (before taxes etc.) will be £29,480.
However, I am one of the few councillors who also receives an extra salary, because I am a Committee Chairman. I have been in this role since May 2023, so have been paid a further £14,375.
This means that, over since being elected in May 2022, I have been paid (by you the taxpayers) £43,855 before taxes.
From that £43,855 I have paid around £16,400 in taxes and National Insurance (give and take a little as tax codes change).
This means I have taken home around £27,240 over the last three years. I have not claimed a penny in expenses and I do not get a pension as a Councillor.
As I have worked 1624 hours as a councillor, and paid £43,855, my pre tax pay is about £27per hour. After taxes, the pay is around £16.80 an hour
Conclusion
£27 an hour is not a small amount of pay, especially for a job that is supposed to be focused on public service above all. That money comes from my residents and their council taxes and so I have to earn it.
No politician should be afraid to show people how much they are paid, as the pay comes from taxes. No politician should be afraid of showing people the hours they put in, unless they are hiding something.
This role is an immense privilege and I'm lucky to be able to do it. I'm also very blessed that I have a good day job, as I could not survive on a councillor's salary alone (less than £11k a year). There is a reason that a lot of Havering's councillors are either retired or people who've made a few bob already, because it's hard pinning down two jobs.
I am proud of my work as a councillor and so I have no shame in sharing what I am paid. I make this available so that you can judge for yourself and hold me to account.
My last four pay slips are below, the previous are all on my website.
Did you enjoy reading that?
I send regular email updates, on my work and on key developments in Havering. If you'd like to get these, please sign-up to get my emails.
Your information isn't shared with anyone else, including any political party, and I do not send election campaign material.
My payslips
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