COUNCILLORS in Wokingham will decide whether to give themselves a pay rise later this week despite spending less time attending to their duties.

The borough councillors will be asked to increase their Basic Allowance when they meet tonight.

The same report that recommends the increase says that the average councillor spends 73.21 hours a week on council business, either in meetings, or working in their wards, a decrease of more than 10 per cent since last year.

According to a 2010 survey of local authorities Wokingham councillors spends 30 hours less each month working on council business than the average councillor.

At present each of the 54 councillors receive a basic allowance of £7,360 to cover out of pocket expenses, IT supplies to set up a home office and reimbursement for time contributed.

Cllr Keith Baker, leader of the Conservative led borough council, said the increase was recommended as part of an annual review process by an independent body.

He said: "Several of us councillors recommended to the Independent Remuneration Panel that it would make sense to tie wage rises of officers to that of councillors.

"It's quite common, if you look at the Royal Borough it's formalised that it is linked.

"The Independent Remuneration Panel decided to formalise the link would be a step too far."

The report recommends adding one per cent to the basic pay allowance, some £73 a year.

Every councillor receives the basic pay with those accepting extra responsibility, such as the leader of the council of members of committees, receive additional funds.

The review recommended the increase in light of an identical increase in officer salaries in 2013/14 and an expected similar increase for 2014/15.

The same report recommended the council did not change the payment of Special Responsibility Allowances should not be increased and the rate payable for childcare and dependents should not be changed.