Local councillors

What councillors do, find your local councillor, the Leader, councillor surgeries, register of interests, salaries and expenses, become a councillor.

Councillor salaries and expenses

Councillors are paid a salary for their work, set by the Scottish Government. There are 4 levels of salary paid to councillors, depending on their role:

  • the Leader is paid £50,063
  • civic heads are paid £37,548
  • senior councillors are paid £31,720
  • all other councillors are paid £25,982

Salaries are based upon bandings set for each council. 

The bands run from A to D. A is the lowest and D is the highest. We are a band B council. 

Councillors can also claim expenses. Expenses cover the costs of travel, accommodation and meals necessary to undertake official duties.

Records of members' salaries and expenses

We publish records of the payments made to councillors each year. 

 

We also publish copies of any claim forms submitted for expenses each month, for the previous 6 months:

 

You can ask to see our payment and claim records (and older documents) in person by writing to us:

Legal and Regulatory
Council Offices
English Street
Dumfries
DG1 2DD

The members renumeration scheme

The members renumeration scheme has detailed guidance about:

  • how much councillors are paid
  • the allowances that they are eligible to claim

Scheme for administration of member renumeration, expenses and travelling

Telephones and computers

We provide councillors with mobile phones and computer equipment to carry out their council business. We pay the cost directly but the figures are included in the information we publish about each councillor's expenses.