Tower Hamlets councillors have voted to increase their pay by more than £300 a year.

Basic allowances for councillors in the borough will go up from £11,380 to £11,693 from April 1.

The increase, at 2.7 per cent, is in line with pay rises for public local government workers, but well above inflation at 0.9 per cent.

All councillors receive a basic allowance, with some are paid more if they take on extra responsibilities.

Mayor John Biggs is currently paid £80,176 a year, while the deputy mayors get an extra £32,070 and cabinet members receive £21,380 plus the basic allowance.

Councillors signed off the pay rise at a council meeting on March 17.

Independent councillor Andrew Wood abstained on the proposal, saying the council’s report did not make it clear that members were receiving a pay rise.

He said: “At a time when CPI inflation is 0.9pc so we are basically voting for an increase over and above inflation and I think at the bare minimum that is what the report should have said.

"It should have made clear what the increase was.”

Mayor John Biggs added: "I think we agreed some time ago that we would peg our allowances to local government increases.

"That can obviously be reconsidered.”