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An independent panel has recommended that fees paid to all 48 members of the authority should not increase "to reflect the uncertain economic climate and austere times facing individuals." The freeze will be debated by the full council this week and could get all-party support.

All members currently get a basic allowance of £4,531 - increased by four per cent this year - with some getting more to reflect additional responsibility. The council leader gets an extra £10,037, his deputy £7,296 and cabinet members £5,710.

But the Independent Remuneration Panel has recommended that a decision made more than a year ago to increase allowances for 2023/24 in line with the annual pay award for Town Hall employees should be scrapped as thousands of council tax payers in the city struggle to make ends meet.

Preston Council will vote this week on whether to freeze councillors' allowances.

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The council has an annual budget of £327,700 for members' allowances and a report by the panel says the figures for 2022/23 and 2023/24 both fall within that limit. The four per cent increase for 2022/23 was only set last November and back-dated to April 1, 2022 after the staff pay award was decided.

The report from the November meeting says: "After much deliberation the panel decided to no longer link members allowances with any pay award. Members allowances should increase for 2022/23 by four per cent which will be back-dated to 1 April 2022.

"(There will be) no increase in members' allowances for 2023/24 to reflect the uncertain economic climate and austere times facing individuals moving forward. A thorough review of members' allowances should be undertaken in 2024/25 to ensure it remains fit for purpose following a period of austerity."

Members are expected to approve a freeze on their allowances.

Allowances for the Mayor of Preston will also be frozen next year after they went up four per cent in 2022/23. He currently receives £8,336 and his deputy mayor £861 to cover official duties.

In addition to the Mayor, council leader, deputy leader and cabinet members, the chair of the overview and management committee receives a special responsibility payment £3,398 on top of the basic member allowance. The chair of planning gets £4,078, the vice-chair £1,934, the chairs of five other committees get an extra £2,038 and opposition leaders get £4,078.

Preston set to freeze councillor allowances as cost of living continues to bite