Public sector pay freeze 'a difficult decision'

Council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will have their pay frozen for a third consecutive year.

The Local Government Association has confirmed a pay freeze for 1.6 million local government employees for 2012/13.

Speaking to the BBC, the chairman of the LGA, Sir Merrick Cockell, said that it had been a "difficult decision" but that it was necessary "to balance up the needs of taxpayers... and those of our workforce".

Unison, the GMB and Unite had asked for a pay increase - particularly for the lowest paid workers.