A national bid to secure local authority workers a five per cent pay rise next year won Bradford Council’s backing on Tuesday night.

A motion put forward by the Labour group backed the joint claim by unions UNISON, GMB and Unite, and called on the Government to provide the money to pay for it.

The meeting heard that pay on average had fallen by 21 per cent in real terms since 2010 thanks to nationally-set pay freezes and caps.

Council leader, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, praised the work Bradford Council staff did, adding: “National government seem to put local government at the bottom of their list when they talk of lifting the pay cap.”

But Councillor Mike Pollard (Con, Baildon), said pension data showed staff were still getting rises, calling the one per cent cap “a myth”.