Councillors are expected to vote against giving themselves a 2% rise in allowances, according to the council leader.
Labour has slammed a proposed allowance rise as “scandalous”, pointing to the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis and forthcoming national insurance and council tax hikes.
But the council’s Lib Dem leader has said she expects councillors will vote against it.
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Durham County Council is to discuss the proposed increase at its full council meeting on Wednesday.
An independent remuneration panel has recommended the council increases its basic allowances for councillors by 2% for the next year.
Now the council will decide on whether to follow the recommendation.
According to the council’s latest report, no changes have been made to the allowance scheme since 2009 except a reduction in mileage rate.
The independent panel found “no appetite for an increase” as it was not a good climate for such as rise. Previous proposed rises had been rejected.
Members of the panel argued councillors’ workloads were “phenomenal” and they should have annual pay rises like other staff.
It noted Durham had “slipped down the regional league table in term of pounds per elector”.
The panel recommended the 2% increase which the council was asked to consider.
In response, Durham’s Labour group leader Councillor Carl Marshall said it was “scandalous” councillors would consider awarding themselves “a financial boost while thousands of families in Durham live in poverty as a direct result of Conservative Government policy that’s blighted our county for over a decade”.
He said: “How any County Durham councillor could consider awarding themselves a pay rise in the current climate is beyond me.
“If this goes through, I hope members can still look at themselves in the mirror.
“This Tory-led Coalition, propped up by Lib Dem and so-called independents, has only been running the council for seven months and has so far refused to condemn horrendous council cuts, refused to criticise the Government for its unfair National Insurance hike, refused to call for an extension to the £20 Universal Credit uplift and ignored Labour’s demand for a fairer funding deal for County Durham from Government… but may feel they’ve earned the right to a pay rise?
“Labour will oppose any raise to allowances, just as we did for the 12 years prior when we oversaw the running of Durham County Council.
“As Tory austerity bit, we rejected allowance increases year after year, and will continue to do so until such a time prosperity and quality of life increases for everyone across our county.”
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, leader of Durham County Council, said: “This approach to the subject of councillors’ allowances was agreed at the all-party constitution working group.
“Unfortunately, Cllr Marshall was on holiday at the time. However, his deputy, Cllr Crute, attended and stated that Labour members have always been free to make their own decisions on this issue without influence.
“That is precisely how we propose to approach the matter when it comes before full council, and we fully expect members of all political colours, or none, to vote against a rise.”
