THE poorest paid council workers in Worcester have finally secured a decent salary - with the city council agreeing to pay the Living Wage for the first time ever.

From January 73 workers will get a pay rise of 21 per cent, with the lowest paid staff getting £7.65 an hour.

The milestone, which has been a year in the making, was approved at full council last night despite the entire Conservative opposition group voting against it.

But the Labour leadership, which got support from the Liberal Democrats and lone Green Councillor Neil Laurenson, insisted it was “the right thing to do”.

During a passionate speech, Councillor Joy Squires, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Worcester, said it was an “absolute scandal” people have had to work for less.

She said: “There is a widespread consensus that the Living Wage is the absolute minimum people need in order to meet their basic living costs.

“The extra money in our employees’ pay packets is highly likely to make its way back into the local economy.

“For me, this is an investment we cannot afford not to make.”

But it led to strong disagreements by Tory politicians, who said it would be unfair on taxpayers in the private sector who earn the minimum wage, and now face “subsidising” council staff.

Councillor Lucy Hodgson said: “I spent many years in contract catering, working with staff on the minimum wage.

“The expectation that workers in the private sector would have to pay for this through their council tax isn’t something I can support.”

Councillor Roger Knight, a fellow Conservative said: “If we believe the minimum wage is too low, we should lobby parliament to increase it, not patch it up locally.

“My argument is ‘yes, let’s get these people more money, but do it in a sensible way’.”

But it led to fierce criticism from the other parties, which said the Conservatives were “scratching around” for reasons to reject it.

Councillor Richard Boorn, Labour’s cabinet member for finance, said: “We talk about ‘ambition’ in this council when it comes to swimming pools, but not human beings, it seems.

“The minimum wage has people working two jobs just to stay in poverty - that cannot be right.”

Councillor Matthew Lamb called poverty a “blight on society” and urged all politicians to back it.

"The causes of povery are complex and varied, but this is one solution," he said.

Councillor David Tibbutt, a Tory, said he would "love to support it" but insisted he feared "unintended consequences", and cited families who throw away too much food waste.

But Councillor Richard Udall, from Labour, said the minimum wage meant "no hope, no ambition", adding: "I want us to be better than that."

A total of 19 councillors voted for, with 15 against, and the pay rises will cost £25,000 to fund next year. The rate will be reviewed every year.

The Living Wage is calculated by a panel of academics, and differs from the £6.31-an-hour minimum wage, in that employers have no legal obligation to pay it.

The city council has stepped back from being an "accredited" Living Wage employer, meaning when the independent rate is upped again, it has no obligation to follow.

The Labour administration say that will allow the lowest pay bracket to be held down in future years if the finances remain tight.

If it became an accredited employer and had to follow the yearly rises, it would cost the council around £75,000 by 2017/18, according to estimates.

The Living Wage does not apply to apprentices, who get a nationally specified pay rate.