By Vivienne Russell
12 November 2010
Welsh Assembly members have said they are prepared to have their pay frozen until 2015, a move that would save the public purse £1m.
Assembly members from all four parties today informed the Welsh independent Remuneration Board that they are ready to go without a salary rise for the four years following next May’s National Assembly elections.
The Remuneration Board is an independent statutory body, which determines salaries for AMs and their staff. Chair George Reid said: ‘I welcome this determination by AMs to play their part in addressing the challenges of the current economic situation, which is seeing widespread pay freezes in both the public and private sector.
‘Allowing for inflation, the Assembly freeze is equivalent to a saving of £1m over the next four years.’
The board has commissioned a study of median pay levels in Wales. ‘We are determined to link our proposals to the earnings of the people of Wales,’ said Reid.
