Labour councillors have decided, just six months after they took over at the Town Hall, to give them-selves a pay increase. The decision was buried in the small print in a complex 15 page report to the Council’s Executive on Monday (29th October) and Liberal Democrat leader councillor David Franks said it looked very much as though they were hoping no-one would notice.

Labour members will fix the exact size of the pay rise when they have seen a further report from a panel the Council set up to make a recommendation.

“The speed and stealth with which they have made this decision is breathtaking,” says councillor David Franks.

“They are so keen to award themselves a pay increase they have made this decision even though they don’t know what the panel is going to say. When the Liberal Democrats ran the Council we repeatedly stated that, with budgets under pressure and staff receiving below inflation salary increases, members’ allowances were not going to be increased.”