BASIC allowances for councillors in a North-East borough are set to rise by £1,800.

An independent pay review panel is recommending standard allowances paid to Darlington Borough Council members should increase from £5,013 to £6,984.

The allowance for the council leader, Labour's John Williams, would rise by £3,289, from £16,711 to £20,000.

Deputy leader Bill Dixon's allowance of £10,026 would increase to £12,000, while the seven cabinet members who currently receive £8,356 could expect £10,000.

Tory group leader Tony Richmond's allowance of £5,849 would rise to £8,000, as leader of the opposition.

The basic allowance is fully inclusive of travel and subsistence costs.

The rise must be ratified by the full council next week.

Corporate services director Paul Wildsmith said councillors were on permanent duty.

"The increases will vary to reflect the different levels of responsibilities but, at the very top, the allowances still fall well short of those paid to leading councillors in neighbouring authorities," he said.

The leaders of Durham County Council and Stockton Borough Council earn £29,739 and £23,750 respectively.

However, Michael Grey, whose Treesavers recycling scheme was replaced by one run by the local authority, said: "They should be looking at the public interest. It's the public who have to pay for their wages."

Coun Dixon said: "I think members give good value for money - they put up with an awful lot and so do their families. Nobody gets rich in local government."

The decision to increase allowances follows similar decisions at Wear Valley District Council and Durham County Council.

In Wear Valley, the basic allowance rose £47 a week, to £86.69, despite council workers being asked to take a £50-a-week pay cut.