WEST Oxfordshire District Council has decided not to increase its councillors’ allowances for the fifth year running.

At a full council meeting yesterday, councillors unanimously voted to reject proposals put forward by an independent remuneration panel to increase the basic allowance for councillors from £4,350 to £4,446, a rise of 2.29 per cent.

It comes after Oxfordshire County Council controversially agreed to increase its basic councillors’ allowance from £8,376 to £10,000 in December, a hike of 19 per cent.

WODC leader Barry Norton said: “We feel people are still finding times hard and we wanted to show solidarity with them and with members of the public.”

Mr Norton said councillors wanted the allowances to be taken out of their hands and have asked the remuneration panel if they could be index linked, so they change in line with inflation.

Labour councillor Duncan Enright added: “We want to make sure that allowances for councillors are such that people aren’t put off becoming councillors but also protect the taxpayers of West Oxfordshire.

“Frankly, this is a really difficult issue and it’s not something that fills any councillor with joy.

“I would like to suggest we tie members’ allowances into one or other grade of council officers pay, so that we would never have to look at the issue again.”

The remuneration panel did not recommend WODC follow OCC’s example in introducing an additional hike in allowances for cabinet members and leader’s allowances.

WODC has also frozen its council tax for the past five years and decided earlier this month not to increase the tax in 2015.

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