Local government employees will not be offered an increase in pay from April, to protect vital front-line services and help minimise the need for job losses, employers announced today.

Local government employers have decided they are not able to award an annual pay rise to employees in local authorities in recognition of the extremely tight financial situation facing councils.

This decision has been taken after extensive consultation with local authorities.Councils are facing falling revenues at a time when they have to keep council tax low to help hard-pressed families through the recession.

Jan Parkinson, managing director of Local Government Employers, said: “The decision not to offer employees an increase in basic pay this year has not been taken lightly. Councils are facing a perfect storm of falling revenues and increasing demand for services. Up and down the country councils have already been forced to cut thousands of jobs to balance the books.“

Town Halls have been swept by the cold winds of recession for more than a year and that means difficult choices have to be made.

“Hard-working public servants do a sterling job keeping services running. Councils are facing difficult choices this year and have to ask their workforce to recognise the need to keep vital front-line services going and protect jobs wherever they can.”

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