COUNCIL leaders in Wychavon have embarrassed their Worcester City counterparts by refusing a rise in pay.

The district's Executive Board, together with the chairmen of two committees, decided not to accept £100 increases in their allowances, quoting higher taxes as the reason.

It came after town councillors in Upton-upon-Severn also decided not to pay themselves attendance allowances on Tuesday.

Upton's Mayor Eric White said the system would lead to anomalies, because only elected members could receive allowances.

"It would mean that someone who stood for election and was returned unopposed could receive an allowance, but those who were co-opted would not," he said.

This is in contrast to Worcester, where members this week rubber-stamped a 10 per cent hike.

Only Councillor Gareth Jones, Mayor of the Faithful City, voted against the increase, telling his colleagues they "didn't become councillors for the money."

Wychavon District Council leader, Martin Jennings, described why they had taken the decision not to follow Worcester's lead.

"Myself and other members of the Executive Board and the chairmen of the development control and overview and scrutiny committees have chosen not to accept the recommended increase in our allowances," he said.

"We felt it would be inappropriate for us to accept a rise in our allowances at a time when the Government is placing local authorities under increasing financial pressure and the overall tax burden on residents is rising."

Leader of Worcester City Council, Stephen Inman, again spoke up in defence of their increases, which will see each councillor receive a basic pay packet of £3,200.

"As I've said before, there is never a good time to award pay increases, but I am prepared to justify them in public," he said.

"I think all 36 councillors do an enormous amount of good work for constituents. None of us is in it for the money - if we were, we would be doing other jobs."