BLAENAU Gwent councillors will not take a pay increase on their allowances for the second year running. it was decided today.

At a special council meeting, councillors voted not to accept the recommended pay increase from the Assembly’s Independent Remuneration Panel.

The panel proposed increasing councillors' basic salary from £13,030 to £13,868.

It is also recommended to increase the special responsibility allowances which are used by members to carry out specific duties, such as being a party leader, and would have meant council leader Des Hillman's allowance rose from £27,679 to £32,360.

Also, it was recommended the council's care allowance remain at £403 per month, but no councillor currently claims this.

The recommendation is calculated based on the earnings of all full-time employees in Wales but it is left to individual councils to decide whether to accept the proposed increases.

Councillors yesterday went with a report recommendation opting not to take the pay increase and at the meeting, Cllr Hillman said proposals for an increase in allowances for co-opted members from £1,200 a year to £2,300 will be reviewed before a decision is made.