The controversial system of allowances for councillors in west Oxfordshire is about to come under review.

An independent panel of five people will assess councillors' wage levels and entitlement to pension schemes.

Earlier this year the 49 councillors in west Oxfordshire awarded themselves a total salary bill of £312,000, compared with £80,000 for the previous year. This increase coincided with the introduction of a cabinet system of local government.

Preliminary moves towards setting up the panel will be discussed at the council meeting on Wednesday.

Any proposed changes will be considered at the council's budget meeting in March 1, to allow for possible introduction in the next financial year.

The massive hike in allowances, about 300 per cent, sparked controversy earlier this year.

The scale of payments was drawn up by a consultant, Dr Declan Hall, of the Institute of Local Government Studies at Birmingham University.

He based his recommendations on a notional wage for a male, white-collar worker of £14.80 per hour.

Dr Hall used this to estimate a councillor's weekly workload after interviewing ten selected councillors.

Each councillor receives a basic allowance of £3,700 a year, plus childcare costs of up to £75 a week, and travel and meal allowances.

The combined bill for the six-member cabinet is £76,000.

Cabinet leader Barry Norton receives almost £18,000.