Nottinghamshire county councillors approve 4 per cent pay increase for themselves

However, Coun Ben Bradley, council leader, said the increase is lower than it could have been as the authority prepares to give employees a raise of about 7 per cent.

Each of the 66 elected councillors had received a standard annual allowance of £15,277.76, but will now receive £15,894.98, a rise of £617.22.

But councillors with positions of extra authority also receive a “special responsibility allowance” on top of the standard sum.

Under the changes, Coun Ben Bradley, member for Mansfield North, will see his special responsibility allowance rise from £35,827.19 to £37,274.61, an increase of £1,447.42.

In total, he will take home £53,169.59 for his work at County Hall – he also earns £84,144 a year as Mansfield MP.

Cabinet members’ special responsibility allowances will also rise from £23,645.95 to £24,601.25, on top of their standard annual allowance.

However, Coun Bradley said the changes are lower than they could have been.

National bodies have agreed a £1,925 pay award for staff members, equating to slightly more than 7 per cent on average.

He said: “Council staff are getting about a 7.2 per cent pay rise and we, strictly speaking, should implement that for councillors as well, but we’ve chosen to reduce that to 4 per cent, recognising the challenging times from that perspective.”

The authority approved the changes, part of a wider review by the Independent Remuneration Panel, which recommends councillors’ pay, during the latest full council meeting.

The same meeting saw the approval of separate changes to the Independent Alliance and Labour’s special responsibility allowances, reflecting the Independents’ rise in councillors after Coun Kane Oliver won the Eastwood by-election earlier this month.

The group is now level with Labour on 15 seats and both are classed as joint opposition groups to the ruling Conservatives.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, Independent Alliance leader, will now receive a special responsibility allowance of £18,450.93 as joint opposition leader, the same as Labour’s Coun Kate Foale.

In total, the member for Ashfields now receives £34,345.91 for his work at County Hall – he also receives more than £27,000 as Ashfield Council leader and member for Larwood.