WYCHAVON district councillors have voted to accept a 9.1 per cent increase in their members' allowances.

The rise will see councillors eligible for £4,125 each per year basic allowance instead of the £3,775 previously allocated.

Special responsibility allowances have also been increased from £9,347 to £10,312 for the council leader and £5,662 to £6,188 for the chairmen of the overview and scrutiny, planning and licensing committees.

The increase was recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), which also advises Worcester City and Malvern Hills district councils.

Councillors heard the high increase was due to an error in the 2006/07 allowances which had led to a two-year shortfall that needed to be made up.

A separate increase for the council's chairman and vice-chairman to receive £6,000 and £2,500 respectively was also agreed. Council leader Paul Middlesbrough called the IRP's findings a "very good report".

The Liberal Democrats' leader Margaret Rowley said: "We have an IRP panel, I think we should take notice of what they say."

However, Coun Alan Anderson said: "To even contemplate voting ourselves a nine per cent pay increase for the hours we spend doing this is unthinkable. Many of the people who are paying this council tax increase are people who have had two per cent pay increases.

"If this proposal goes ahead, about 17p in every pound of the 2.5 per cent council tax increase will go straight into members' allowances, which seems a very large amount."

Coun John Smith branded the increase "immoral" in light of the pay increases given to nurses and police officers.

However, Coun Pam Davey said: "If I did actually do the 11 hours per week then I would be highly embarrassed at accepting it but I can tell you that over the last eight months I have spent 37 hours per month on meetings alone."

Coun Laurie Evans if the increase was voted through, he would accept 2.5 per cent and give the rest to charity.

Councillors voted 27 to 15 in favour of accepting the rise after an amendment to accept 2.5 per cent was defeated.

Worcester city councillors agreed to freeze their allowances citing financial pressures on the council.