Councillors’ allowances to be brought into line with independent panel recommendations
Proposals have been recommended to bring councillors allowances into line with independent panel recommendations.
If agreed at Full Council, the basic allowance will rise from £11,906 to £16,882 a year from Tuesday 1 December 2026.
That is the level recommended by the London Councils Independent Remuneration Panel. This is an independent body that advises London boroughs on what councillors should receive.
Greenwich allowances have been below the panel’s recommended levels every year since 2014/15. Allowances were frozen in seven of those years.
The council agreed a 3.2% rise in March 2026 but this did not close the gap with the panel’s recommendations.
Councillors are not council employees and do not get a salary. They get allowances to reflect the time and responsibilities of the role.
By law, every council in England must have a scheme of allowances for its councillors. When setting it, councils must have regard to the recommendations of an independent panel.
The panel last reviewed councillor allowances across London in December 2023. It recommended a basic allowance of £15,960, rising each year in line with local government pay awards. That figure is now £16,882.
The proposals also bring allowances for extra responsibilities in line with the panel’s banding. These are paid to councillors who take on extra roles, such as Cabinet Members, committee chairs and opposition leaders. Each role is set as a share of the Leader’s allowance. The changes also add new arrangements for councillors during sickness, and access to a pension scheme.
A spokesperson for the Council said: “Local councillors are not paid a salary, instead they receive an independently measured allowance. Councillors have voted against increasing their allowances seven times in the last ten years, receiving less than the recommended amount as a result.
“The role of a local councillor has evolved, and the level of time, work and scrutiny has grown. We’re a diverse borough and residents should expect councillors that represent and reflect every background and every postcode. Being a councillor is not a job, but it does require an extensive time commitment and it can be an emotive and time-consuming position. Those who give up their time to represent their neighbours often do so while juggling work, family and other responsibilities. Allowances allow more people from the breadth of the borough to consider serving their communities.”