Your councillor

Find your councillor and learn about expenses, allowances, making a complaint and how you can become a councillor

Expenses and allowances

County councillors are not paid a salary, but receive a basic allowance of £13,730 to help them fulfil their duties.

Councillors with extra responsibilities, like members of the Cabinet, can receive an additional Special Responsibility Allowance.

Councillors can also claim expenses to cover the costs of things like travel while carrying out their duties.

The amount each councillor receives in expenses and allowances is published in a monthly report. At the end of the financial year, an annual report of expenses and allowances is published.

You can find out more about how we work out expenses and allowances as part of the Members Allowances Scheme in the Essex County Council Constitution.

Monthly expenses and allowances report

Monthly expenses and allowance reports are published 2 to 4 weeks after the month end.

Expenses and allowances June 2024 (PDF, 173.05KB)

Expenses and allowances May 2024 (PDF, 150.84KB)

Expenses and allowances April 2024 (PDF, 155.44 KB)

Annual expenses and allowances summary

Expenses and allowances 2023 to 2024 (PDF, 163KB)

Expenses and allowances 2022 to 2023 (PDF, 213.33 KB)

Expenses and allowances 2021 to 2022 (PDF, 250.94kB)

Expenses and allowances 2020 to 2021 (PDF, 171kB)

Expenses and allowances 2019 to 2020 (PDF, 191kB)

Expenses and allowances 2018 to 2019 (PDF 186kB)

Expenses and allowances 2017 to 2018 (PDF 266kB)

Independent Remuneration Panel

We are required to establish an Independent Remuneration Panel, under the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 (As amended).

The purpose of the panel is to review the allowances paid to councillors. These include allowances for councillors’ basic duties, special responsibilities, childcare, travel and substance. The panel makes recommendations to the council on the appropriate level of payments to be made.

The panel is made up of local people, not connected with the council. We advertise for panel members on our website when we have vacancies.

Our Independent Remuneration Panel met in March 2022.
View the Independent Remuneration Panel report (PDF, 989KB).

We received revised recommendations that were agreed by Council at its meeting in July 2022. View the revised recommendations report (PDF, 250KB).

If you are unable to access the reports online, copies can be made available at County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1QH by emailing democratic.services@essex.gov.uk.

Indexation was applied in May 2024 and the basic allowance is now £13,730.

The special responsibility (SRA) allowance rates from May 2024 are as follows:

Allowance Current amount for 2021-22 Number Recommended Allowance Calculation
Leader of the Council £61,787  1 450% of Basic
Deputy Leader £49,429  1 80% of Leader’s Allowance
Cabinet Member £41,397  8 67% of Leader’s Allowance
Chairman of the Council £24,715  1 40% of Leader’s Allowance
Leader of the Main Opposition Group £18,536  1 30% of Leader’s Allowance
Scrutiny Board Chairman £18,536  1 30% of Leader’s Allowance
Deputy to Cabinet Member £15,447  11 25% of Leader’s Allowance
Committee Chairman £15,447  8 25% of Leader’s Allowance
Vice Chairman of Council £12,357  1 20% of Leader’s Allowance
Minority Group Leaders £6,179  2 10% of Leader’s Allowance