WEST Oxfordshire District Council members have refused to give themselves a pay rise and have promised to look again at proposed grant cuts.

The Independent Remuneration Panel recommended councillors increase basic allowances from £4,350 to £4,415 a year – an increase of 1.5 per cent.

But the Conservative-led council rejected the recommendation and, at a full council meeting yesterday, agreed to freeze the current allowances.

It received cross party support, with Liberal Democrat Larry Poole saying: “It is not appropriate to increase our allowances when staff are on a pay freeze.”

The council also agreed to look again at a proposed 10 per cent cut to grants given to organisations such as the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.