CONSERVATIVES on Waverley Council's ruling executive body look set to clash with fellow councillors over whether to vote all council members an increase in their expenses.

A Liberal Democrat-chaired committee had called for a councillor's basic allowance to go up 50 per cent, from £1,938 to £3,000, rejecting an independent pay panel's recommendation of a modest £62 rise to £2,000.

But Conservative members of Waverley's policy-making executive body do not want any increase.

They fear an expenses rise could result in a voter backlash at next May's council election.

Speaking at a meeting of the executive on Tuesday night, Bramley ward Tory Richard Gates warned that an independent pay panel's proposed annual expenses fund rise from £144,000 to £200,000 would result in more than a one per cent hike in council tax and councillors "would not be thanked if that happened".

Waverley's deputy leader, Pat Frost, who represents Rowledge and Wrecclesham, echoed Mr Gates' comments.

"We all have a great deal of expenses, and I am sympathetic to those who say we need to increase allowances, but this is not the right time to do it, as the council is under pressure on its budgets."

Referring to comments made by the chairman of the independent pay panel at a previous meeting, she added: "I hated reading in The Herald about councillors having their 'noses in the trough'; it certainly doesn't apply to me. I think it is sad that those comments were made."

But while Conservatives on the executive spoke against any increase, other Tories on a Waverley committee that scrutinises and comments on policy, had previously voted with Lib Dem members for an increase from £2,000 to £3,000.

None of those councillors spoke at this week's executive meeting, but some of the Lib Dems did.

Farnham Castle ward councillor Duncan Steel said it was "ludicrous" that the pay panel had recommended such a small rise in allowances.

Referring to the assembled councillors, Mr Steel said: "An organisation spending £14 million a year on officer wages, should be able to spend a few thousand on these jaded bodies here."

And speaking after the meeting, Mr Steel told The Herald the expenses have created a divide between the executive and the rest of the council.

"The problem's being made worse by the fact that officers did not make any provision for any increase in councillors' expenses in the budget, in spite of the government saying we should do this for the last two years," he said.

Mr Steel added that, nationally, the average councillor claims a basic allowance of £3,100 - £100 more than the amount the Lib Dem-chaired overview and scrutiny committee is proposing.

Although members of the executive voted against an overall increase, they did agree a recommendation that the deputy leader of the council receives £414 on top of the basic allowance.

They also agreed their allowances should be reviewed in line with the annual pay award to Waverley staff.

Those recommendations will go before the next meeting of Waverley's full council on December 17.