TOWN councillors in Cirencester became embroiled in a war of words with its chief excutive after he asked them to rubber stamp a pay rise for all council employees.

Cirencester Town Council staff were heading for a two per cent pay award but councillors attacked the proposal, saying many people in the community were suffering redundancies and pay cuts and that the council should be no different.

Cllr Peter Braidwood, the most outspoken at the council's monthly meeting last Tuesday, said: "I have friends in the private sector who have received no pay awards so why should the council be any different?"

Cllr Margaret Rickman added: "In the private sector there are places shutting down and inflation is a real problem and this should be at the forefront of our minds."

Chief executive Andrew Tubb, one of those in line for a pay award, said that staff were well-aware of the financial difficulties faced by many but added that the council had budgeted for the pay awards when they were given the go-ahead by councillors in January.

Cllr Rickman retorted: "Just because we have budgeted for this it doesn't mean we have to spend it."

She added that higher paid staff had more disposable income, a claim Mr Tubb denied.

But many other councillors had the same view including Cllr Deryck Nash who suggested they instead give a one per cent pay award to the lowest-paid staff members.

"I have a concern for our ground staff," he said. "No one is earning over £100,000 but with the greatest respect to the senior management team they are reasonably well-paid.

"I propose that we award a one per cent pay award to those earning less than £21,000 a year."

Cllr Rickman seconded the proposal but some councillors were still adamant that there should be no pay awards at all including Cllr Braidwood.

Eight councillors voted in favour of the one per cent pay rise to those earning less than £21,000, with two against the proposal.

The motion was carried with eight councillors in favour and two against.

"I think people would like to know that their money is being spent on manual labour," said Cllr Rickman.

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