Councillors' allowances

Elected councillors are not paid but are entitled to an annual allowance which recognises their work and time commitment. In addition, they are entitled to claim expenses for travelling and other costs incurred when undertaking their duties as a councillor. Those councillors who undertake additional duties, such as chairing a committee or acting as the lead member (portfolio holder) for an area of council activity, are entitled to an additional allowance due to the extra time they can incur in such duties.

An Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), made up of people who have no association with the council, is responsible for developing the scheme and recommending changes to the Members' Allowance Scheme. The scheme is then agreed by the council.

The scheme of allowances for West Suffolk Council was agreed by the council itself on 22 May 2019.

View the West Suffolk Council Members' Allowances Scheme

Until 6 May 2019, West Suffolk councillors continued to receive the allowance they claimed from their former authority (see below).

This page provides information on the allowances and expenses for the former Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough councillors, in line with the scheme of allowances for their respective councils:

View allowances

You can access information about councillor allowances for each council from the links below:

West Suffolk Council 

Forest Heath District Council (FHDC)

St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC)