A SPAT over pay increases has broken out between SNP and Labour councillors.

SNP Councillor Christina Larsen questioned the administration over pay at last week’s full council meeting, with the SNP claiming Labour councillors have awarded themselves a six per cent pay rise.

However the Labour group have responded saying all councillors voted on the increase before the administration was formed.  

Shadow Finance spokesperson Councillor Larsen said: “This week our Labour Councillors revealed their true colours.

“They say one thing in public to get votes and then ignore their commitments afterwards. They are funding these pay rises to themselves with cuts to vital classroom assistant posts.

“Not only have they awarded themselves an extra £1200 a year but they have also reduced the number of Cabinet meetings by 50 per cent.

“There is no obligation for senior councillors to accept a pay rise.

“I think it is outrageous that one of the first acts of this so-called ‘anti-cuts’ Labour administration is to accept this increase at a time when our own hard working council staff face pay restraints.

“Labour’s campaign motto was ‘For the many, not the few’.

“Only two months after the local elections, it would appear that it is the Labour few who are benefitting, while our many council staff, who do a fantastic job, are not”.

Labour’s Leader and Finance Spokesperson, Joe Cullinane said: "The SNP, including Councillor Larsen, voted for the Senior Councillor remuneration package back in May. In fact, all members of the Council accepted the officers recommendation, made at a time when the Council had no administration following the election.

"If the SNP had won the vote and formed a minority administration Councillor Larsen and her colleagues would be receiving the same payments as the current Labour administration.

"This is why people get put off politics. A party sniping about an issue that 6 weeks ago they voted in favour of shows a party more interested in point scoring than working in the interests of local people.

"Labour have brought Senior Councillor remuneration under budget. The officer recommendations accepted by Council, including the SNP, would have saw an overspend in the remuneration budget. However, by taking on a dual role as Leader and Finance Member myself, our Deputy John Bell taking on Education and us then voting for SNP Group Leader Marie Burns to Chair Audit and Scrutiny, we have cut the number of Senior Councillors bringing it under budget."