Falkirk councillors accept pay rise but Provost takes cut

The one per cent increase approved by the Scottish Parliament was available to all 32 elected members in the town hall.

But Pat Reid, the town’s ‘First Citizen’, has turned down the chance of more money - and insisted on taking a pay cut!

As Falkirk’s civic head he would have been entitled to £25,341 from April 1 – but on his orders his salary will now go back to the £23,179 a year he earned when he was appointed in 2007.

From next month the basic wage for councillors goes up by £167 to £16,893 a year.

The leader of the Labour-led administration, Councillor Craig Martin will see his salary rise by £335 to £33,789.

Senior councillors in charge of education, environment, housing, tourism, public protection and resources committees, the conveners of planning and appeals and the depute leader of the council will be £225 a year better off with a ‘top line’ of £22,689.

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, leader of the main opposition SNP Group, and Councillor Rosie Murray as convener of the joint consultative committee, will earn £19,020, £188 a year more.