COUNCILLORS agreed to award themselves a 13 per cent pay rise.
Five of Durham County Council's 61 members voted against the rise, which will see the basic allowance rise from just under £7,500 to almost £8,500.
There will also be rises in the special responsibility allowance, with council leader Ken Manton seeing his salary boosted by £4,000 to £26,281 and his deputy, Don Ross's, allowance rising 23 per cent to £16,141.
Other cabinet members will get a £4,500 increase, with the chairman and vice-chairman of the council's scrutiny committee getting £4,500 and £3,500 rises respectively.
The move will cost the county council £120,000 a year.
The rises were approved at a full council meeting in Durham, despite an attempt by the Liberal Democrats to amend the motion, which would have kept the special responsibility rises but ruled out the £1,000 rise in basic allowance.
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