How much Reading councillors could get paid this year has been revealed.
Being a councillor involves attending full council and committee meetings, meetings of partner organisations and interceding for residents.
Many of the meetings are held after work hours, usually at 6.30pm in the evening.
The amount councillors are paid is reviewed and set early each year for the upcoming financial year, which will run from April 2026 to March 2027.
As well as attending meetings, appointed councillors are also expected to attend Berkshire and area-wide committee meetings, such as the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, the Berkshire Pension Fund Management Committee, and the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel.
The Basic Allowance to be paid to individual councillors is due to be set at £9,825.99 for the year.
But that amount increases depending on the additional duties a councillor fulfils.
These are defined as ‘Special Responsibility Allowances’ that are paid on top of the basic salary.
Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), the leader of the council since May 2024, is set to be paid an extra £22,111.80 for the year.
As the council leader, she is head of the policy committee, is expected at all full council meetings and is ultimately responsible for devising the policies of the ruling Labour group.
The deputy leader, cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley), serves as chair of the policy committee whenever cllr Terry is absent, and has the responsibility of upholding the council’s strategic vision and liaising with stakeholders.
He is expected to receive an additional £13,506.12 for this role.
The lead councillors are due to receive an extra £11,354.76 in 2026/27.
Their duties are to devise council policies to meet its key duties, such as planning, social care, housing and transport.
The leader of the opposition, and the chairs of the planning applications committee and licensing applications committee will all receive an additional £7,262.28.
Cllr Rob White (Green, Park) is the current opposition leader.
Meanwhile, cllr Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) is the chair of the planning applications committee.
She is expected to attend planning site visits with other members of the committee.
Cllr Paul Woodward (Labour, Church), is the chair of the licensing applications committee, which resolves premises applications and taxi driver licence policies.
The chairs of the other committees and leaders of the other political groups will also receive an additional £3,632.28.
The payments councillors will receive have been devised by an Independent Remuneration Panel.
The three-member panel is made up of Sally Swift, a former journalist and organiser of the Pride of Reading Awards, Jeanette Skeats, an alderwoman of Reading Borough and former Conservative councillor, and Mick Polleck, who has experience of the trade union movement and is also a member of Reading Ukrainian Community Centre.
The panel was supported by Simon Hill, the council’s acting democratic services manager and Jemma Durkan, a committee services officer.
The payment levels are set to be agreed at a full council meeting on Tuesday, January 27.
