A MALVERN Hills councillor has accused his colleagues of sending out the wrong message to electors by accepting a 6.6 per cent increase in their allowances.

Councillor Tom Wells objected to the increased members' allowances, which were voted through by 19 councillors at Tuesday's full council meeting. Nine councillors voted against the increase and five abstained.

"Inflation is currently running at just under 3 per cent, public sector pay awards are between 3 per cent and 4 per cent and here we are about to accept a 6.6 per cent increase and I have a real problem with that," said Coun Wells.

"It sends entirely the wrong message not only to our workforce but to our electorate."

The recommendations to increase the allowances were put forward by an independent remuneration panel which reviewed the amounts being paid in Malvern Hills compared with other areas of the county.

It was calculated by using an average white collar worker's salary in the county and taking away 40 per cent to account for the voluntary nature of councillors' work.

Alex Stewart-Cleary, who supported the increase said: "If Tom Wells doesn't want to accept the money, he doesn't have to. He can even give it to charity if he wants."