Who Runs Your Council
Every council is run by elected councillors and paid officers. The average chief executive earns £169,508, while councillors receive a basic allowance of £8,671 per year.
Key roles in a council
Who does what
Chief Executive (Head Paid Service)
The most senior employee. Manages all staff, implements council decisions, and is responsible for the organisation. Not elected — hired by the council. Salary typically ranges from £84,741 to £362,000.
Council Leader
An elected councillor chosen by fellow councillors to lead politically. Sets the council's priorities and chairs the cabinet. Receives a special responsibility allowance on top of their basic councillor allowance.
Cabinet Members
Councillors appointed by the leader to oversee specific areas like education, housing, or finance. They make decisions within their portfolio and report to scrutiny committees. Usually 6-10 members.
Councillors (Backbenchers)
Elected to represent their local ward. They vote on the budget, attend full council meetings, sit on committees, and help residents with local issues. Most councils have 30-80 councillors.
Scrutiny Committees
Groups of councillors who examine and challenge cabinet decisions. They can call in decisions for review and hold the leader and chief executive to account.
Chief executive salaries
What the top officers earn
See the full CEO salary rankings · Salary data from council pay policy statements on .gov.uk websites.
Councillor allowances
What elected members receive
Councillors are not paid a salary. Instead, they receive allowances to cover the costs of their role.
Allowance levels are set by an independent remuneration panel and published each year. You can see individual councillor allowances on your council's website.
Council structures
How different councils are organised
Unitary authorities (63)
Provide all local services. One council, one set of councillors, one chief executive.
Metropolitan districts (36)
Large urban councils providing all services. Often part of combined authorities with elected mayors.
London boroughs (33)
Provide most services in London. Some functions are shared with the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London.
County councils (21) + district councils (164)
Two-tier system. The county handles big services (education, social care, roads). The district handles local services (bins, planning, housing). Each has its own councillors and chief executive.
How councils are held accountable
Checks and balances
Common questions
About council leadership
What does a council chief executive do?
The chief executive is the most senior officer in a council. They manage all council staff, implement decisions made by councillors, and are responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation. They are an employee, not an elected politician.
How much do council chief executives earn?
The average council chief executive salary in England is £169,508. The highest paid earns £362,000 at City of London.
What is the difference between the council leader and the chief executive?
The council leader is an elected councillor chosen by other councillors to lead the council politically. The chief executive is a paid employee who runs the council operationally. The leader sets direction, the chief executive delivers it.
How much do councillors get paid?
Councillors receive a basic allowance, not a salary. The average basic allowance across English councils is £8,671 per year. Councillors with extra responsibilities (like cabinet members) receive additional special responsibility allowances.
How are councillors elected?
Councillors are elected by residents in local elections. Each council ward elects one or more councillors. Elections happen every four years in most areas, though some councils elect a third of their councillors each year.
Who holds the council accountable?
Councils are held accountable through local elections, external audits, government inspections (like Ofsted and CQC), scrutiny committees, freedom of information requests, and the Local Government Ombudsman.