ALLOWANCES for councillors in Malvern are set to rise with a vote to be held next week.

Members of Malvern Hills District Council will vote on a planned 1.75 per cent basic increase to their allowances when they meet on June 21.

The allowance rise has been presented to the council by the Independent Remunerations Committee and recommends that the basic allowance for 2022/23 should be £4,732, an increase of 1.75 per cent.

If the plans are approved, the leader's allowance will increase from £13,950 to £14,196.

The deputy leader's allowance would increase to £8,281 from £8137.50, while portfolio holders would see their allowances increase from £6,975 to £7,098.

Agenda documents for the June 21 meeting say the proposed increases have been put forward taking into account the rise in inflation and a number of other external market factors.

Last year, councillors nervously agreed to accept a pay rise, having decided not to vote for it in 2020 during the pandemic.

At the time, they approved a 2.75 per cent increase, with councillors saying they wanted to avoid a situation where "proessional councillors" could seek office purely for the financial benefits.

Then-leader Cllr Sarah Rouse said at that meeting: "We don't want a situation where only the rich or retired people with other incomes can become councillors, we want as many different people to do it as possible because that way we get a more diverse council and better councillors."

Cllr Rouse's point was supported by Tory councillor Douglas Godwin, who said: "If you pay peanuts you get monkeys" agreeing councillors should get a payrise.

Cllr Martin Allen initially said he was in favour of the increase, but said he would not accept it if it were voted through.

He called for the council's independent panel in charge of remuneration to impose it on the council, rather than ask them to vote for it.

His sentiment was echoed by Cllr Daniel Walton, who said he and a few colleagues felt uneasy about voting on their own pay.

The meeting is being held in the Council House, Malvern at 6pm. A meeting of the council's Executive Committee is being held directly before at 5pm.