Oxfordshire councillors delay pay rise decision

Oxfordshire County Council's members voted to delay a decision over a pay rise on Tuesday

A decision over whether councillors should get a pay rise has been put off until next year.

An independent panel recommended the basic allowances of Oxfordshire county councillors should increase by nearly £1,000 to £12,000 annually.

The panel also advised increasing the leader's allowance to £36,000 a year.

Councillors said the rise would be "inappropriate" in the current economic climate, but agreed to make a decision after the council elections in 2021.

Labour group leader Liz Brighouse said a rise now wouldn't be fair on public sector workers, with some seeing their pay frozen this year.

Conservative council leader Ian Hudspeth said "everybody" was in agreement putting off pay rises was "the sensible way forward".