Councillors say 'salary not attractive' to young candidates

Councillors in Northern Ireland have warned their "salary is not attractive" to encourage younger people into local politics.

The National Association of Councillors in Northern Ireland (NACNI) said current arrangements "fall short" and a recent pay rise for Stormont assembly members has created a "significant disparity".

In a letter seen by BBC News NI, the body expressed concern to Stormont's communities minister that local councils "will not be as effective" unless allowances and conditions improve.

The Department for Communities (DfC), which has responsibility for local government matters, said Gordon Lyons was "considering the points raised" by NACNI.

In April, assembly members (MLAs) received a pay rise of more than £14,000, bringing their wages to £67,200 a year.

The almost 27% uplift was determined by Stormont's Independent Remuneration Board.

A separate independent review of councillors' pay in 2025 recommended a similar 28% rise to almost £22,000 a year.

But Stormont ministers rejected the proposal, instead giving councillors a 5% increase in their basic annual allowance to more than £18,000.

It led to NACNI last year considering strike action, but all of Stormont's main parties later distanced themselves from the idea.

In a letter to the communities minister, NACNI called for a "reasonable allowance" for councillors.

Joe Boyle, secretary of the group, said current provisions "still fall short of an acceptable structure for the third tier of government in Northern Ireland".

"Recent 'independent' awards clearly demonstrate a significant disparity of what is accepted as independent for one sector, but not for another," he added.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) councillor raised a range of issues including levels of fuel expenses, calls to introduce a severance scheme, and funding for security measures.

He said there was a "gap between expectations of the role and the reality of the workload".

Boyle also described "challenges for younger or working-age councillors balancing council duties with employment and family commitments".

"Given the current structures in place for those wishing to step forward within local government in Northern Ireland, as elected representatives the current position does not allow for longevity, continuity or experience and potentially local government will not be as effective as it was previously."

The letter was sent at the end of May and obtained by BBC News NI through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

It followed a meeting in March between the minister and members of NACNI.

The body was represented at the meeting by councillors from Stormont's five main parties, according to the minutes.

They discussed how a "difficulty in attracting high calibre and younger candidates is an issue that needs addressed" adding that the "salary is not attractive".

Pay for councillors compared to MLAs was also discussed at an NACNI meeting in May.

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) councillor Trevor Wilson said the independent review of their pay appeared to have been "sidelined", according to the minutes.

Another councillor said many "felt let down and disappointed with the way councillors had been treated".

Sinn Féin councillor Eugene McConnell, chair of NACNI, advised members that the cross-party delegation "had left the minister in no doubt and that a further paper was being prepared for submission".

In a brief statement the DfC said the communities minister was "still considering the points raised" by NACNI.

NACNI and its members was approached for further comment.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) councillor Allister Kyle said his party was not represented at the cross-party meeting "and we certainly weren't lobbying the minister for more money".

"At a time when households are already facing substantial financial pressures, our focus should be on ensuring ratepayers get value for money rather than constructing ever more generous packages for those elected to represent them," he added.

People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins said that "excessive" pay rises for politicians were a "slap in the face to workers right across the board".

"When you have nurses, teachers, every worker right across the public sector and the private sector being denied a basic pay rise, I think it is hypocrisy to be suggesting that politicians, councillors or MLAs should be getting such excessive pay rises."

Aoife Clements, founder of the campaign group 50:50 NI, which supports more women getting involved in politics, said increased pay could "get rid of some of the barriers" to women becoming councillors.

She said women in Northern Ireland were "generally the primary caregivers, whether that's with children or looking after elderly relatives".

"So they don't really have the time to have a day job, do all of that extra unpaid labour, and then become a councillor," she said.

"If it was better paid, maybe you could have less of a day job or no day job."

She added: "We should be doing everything that we can to remove the barriers for more diversity in politics."

Wilson has been a councillor for the Cookstown area in County Tyrone for more than three decades.

He said the independent review for councillors was "not just about pay" but also seeking "equality" in conditions across different local authorities.

"But I just can't understand why an independent report for one set of elected members is not accepted, and yet the other independent report is," he added.

He said many public sector workers were "rightly so" seeking pay increases "because they do an excellent job".

"But equally people don't see the work that councillors do - they're on the ground," he added.