A members allowance of up to £600 will be available to each Keighley town councillor.

Although the fund has been formed to recompense members for performing their duties, councillors were told they should not feel forced to accept the money.

The annual fee has been agreed by the council's finance committee. It was approved by the full council.

Finance committee chairman Councillor John Philip said: "I point out to members of the council, if they do not want to take this allowance, they can opt out of this.

"We have councillors who need this money but I would ask you not to put members under pressure for taking this money."

Cllr Allan Rhodes said the council had taken the lengthy discussions very seriously and had also sought the guidance of legal advisors at the National Association of Local Councils.

He said: "We are not trying to jump on the pay bandwagon, but if somebody is to go to meetings there should be recompense for loss of earnings.

"We are not a small parish council stuck up in the Yorkshire Dales, but if we go forward and take on certain services and more time is taken up by councillors, this is the time we should be acting."

He backed up the call that councillors should refuse the payment if they wanted.

Cllr Joyce Newton said: "We are largely constrained to what we can officially pay people.

"But it should not cost anybody to be a town councillor, and that is what we have tried to avoid. We have come up with a figure that we thought was reasonable."

Cllr Rhodes added that one person who wanted to stand for election changed his mind because he could not afford to canvass.

Cllr Tony Wright, who had discussed the matter with Bradford councillors, suggested the figure could have been nearer £1,000.