Wokingham’s Conservatives are set to vote against a proposed pay increase for councillors after claiming it is the “wrong time” to approve the plans given the council’s finances are “being squeezed”.

The move comes after the News exclusively revealed that an independent panel of Wokingham residents suggested councillor’s pay should increase by £134 each to £6,818 a year.

Councillor Pauline Jorgensen, deputy leader of the council, said: “I think it is right that the Conservative Group will vote against increasing councillors’ allowances.

“This is simply not the right time to be using the council’s stretched finances to give ourselves more money.”

The Conservatives also claimed it was “undemocratic” to support proposals to increase the council leader’s pay by £2,500, while reducing the pay of the leader of the opposition, (Liberal Democrats leader Cllr Lindsay Ferris) by the same amount.

Cllr Jorgensen continued: “In particular, we feel that giving the council leader more money while taking it away from the opposition leader is completely wrong.

“How could we look local people in the eye if we supported this?

“I know that councillors, including the Leader, attempted to raise their concerns with the IRP, but the panel did not seem to take on board these views.

“It would be most welcome if there could be a cross-party review of how the IRP can better take on board the views of all councillors, as well as reflecting the opinions of the public outside.”

Earlier in the month the News reported that Wokingham’s Labour councillors were also set to vote against the proposals.

Labour councillor Andy Croy said: “For the last few years only Labour councillors have consistently voted against the annual rises.

"We see the effects of Tory austerity all the time. From school crossing patrols being cut to save money, restrictions on the provision of adult social care and swinging increases in fees and charges it is simply not right that councillors should carry on as though everything is fine.

“Everything isn't fine and it is time councillors from other parties listened to the public.

Labour councillors asked the borough’s residents for their thoughts on the pay increases.

According to Cllr Croy, “A massive 84 per cent of the people we spoke to said there should be no pay rises for councillors.

"We are delighted with the results of our consultation”.

In Wokingham, a councillor’s Basic Allowance (standard pay for all councillors) is £7,784, including IT and out of pocket expenses, a year – compared to £13,868 per year in Wales – and the Leader of the Council receives an additional £20,000 – whereas in Wales, Council Leaders receive an additional £30,232 to £40,232.

The Liberal Democrats were contacted for comment on whether they will vote for the pay increase, but claimed they would outline their position at the full council meeting on Thursday, 22 November