COUNCILLORS have unanimously backed proposals to give themselves an 11 per cent pay rise and pension rights.

At last night's meeting of City of York Council, members of all four parties voted to increase the basic allowance from £6,300 to £7,000. Coupled with superannuation and a baby sitting allowance, the projected increase to the public purse is £94,000.

The special responsibility allowances (SRAs), which most councillors receive in return for doing particular jobs, remain unchanged.

It is the first time York councillors have had a pay increase since 2003/04, and the rise reflects inflation in the intervening years.

But councillors have been criticised for accepting a rise at a time when public services throughout the city face cuts to help balance the budget.

Conservative councillor Paul Healey said: "We are just doing a budget run where we are saying we have to cut back, and maybe make people redundant and we are being asked to fund an extra £93,800 or so."

He spoke against the rise but joined colleagues in supporting it in the vote.

Council leader Steve Galloway said: "The proposal here is a rise of just the basic allowance, in line with inflation since the last increase. I would be surprised if anyone thought that was unreasonable."

Labour leader David Scott seconded the proposal and challenged any critics to spend a week with him to see the work councillors did.

The rise follows a report by an Independent Remuneration Panel, which - in line with national legislation - is set up to assess councillors' pay. It had proposed increases of more than 40 per cent in some cases, but the four party leaders in York jointly proposed a smaller increase.

Of the 47 councillors in York, 13 receive only the basic allowance. All others receive an SRA, ranging from £2,100 for the chair of a minority party to £23,520 for Coun Steve Galloway.

He has vowed not to accept the basic allowance increase, following a pledge made last autumn when the remuneration panel's report first emerged.

The panel said York councillors' allowances were lower than those in similar authorities and said increased pay would help to attract a wider range of candidates, particularly from under-represented groups such as younger people, ethnic minorities and adults with home-caring responsibilities.

The panel wrote: "A members' allowance scheme can play a part in making standing and remaining as an elected member a more feasible proposition for those from under-represented groups."