REDDITCH councillors unanimously turned down a recommended expenses boost – opting to keep their current budget.

The decision was made at the council’s executive committee on Tuesday, February 2.

An independent remuneration panel recommended councillors increase their allowances by £56,500 to £194,500- about a 30 per cent rise.

The panel, which recommends the level of allowances for councillors, is made up of five suitably skilled members of the public who are independent of the Borough Council.

Council leader Bill Hartnett said: "I can think of over 56,000 reasons why we should not accept this increase, we are living in times of great austerity with cut backs and reductions to local authorities, I could not accept or justify accepting there recommendation, I would want to see the money spent delivering services to the residents we serve in Redditch."

Members did agree to amend the wording in travel allowances section to include travelling by taxi to meetings in a case of urgency or where no public transport is available- this brings the Borough Council in line with other councils.

In the last year, just one councillor claimed their taxi fare to a meeting.

The decision will now go to full council for a final approval.