Slight decrease in OIC councillors’ salary and expenses

Orkney Islands Council elected members’ salary and expenses total for 2015/16 has seen a slight decrease compared to the previous year’s figures.

Although the combined cost of councillors’ salaries has risen from £377,163.38 to £379,211.58, the figures for all other expenses across the board have dropped — albeit by marginal amounts.

Figures released by the local authority this week show the cost of salaries and expenses last year was £433,238.72, while in 2014/15 the sum came to £435,740.09. This represents a decrease of £2,501.37, or 0.57%.

However, it should be noted that a seat in the West Mainland ward was vacant for around three months following the death of Councillor Alistair Gordon last May.

Councillor Rachael King was elected to the seat the following August after a bye election.

The total amount of expenses claimed by councillors in 2015/16 was £68,081.32, although £14,054.18 of this was reimbursed by outside bodies, compared with £72,938.92 in 2014/15, £14,362.21 of which was reimbursed.

This equates to a figure of £54,027.32 for 2015/16, and £58,576.71, showing that expense claims have decreased by £4,549.37, or 7.8%.

Council convener Steven Heddle’s salary of £27,866.06, combined with expenses, took his total to £40,035.94, the highest among the 21 serving councillors.

Second highest was the vice-convener, Councillor Jim Foubister, who earned £20,900.03 which increased to £26,679.89 when including his expense claims.

In 2015/16 a councillor’s basic salary was £16, 718.83, while committee chairpersons earned £19,645.62.

Full details are available at www.orkney.gov.uk.