Isles of Scilly councillor who approved pay rise quits

An Isles of Scilly councillor who voted for a pay increase for senior officers has resigned from the council because he felt he lost voters' confidence.

The Policy and Resources Committee voted just over a week ago in favour of increases of up to 18%.

Gordon Bilsborough said that he had supported the rises to help recruit and keep experienced people working for the council.

He said he stepped down after a "hostile reaction" in his ward.

Mr Bilsborough, the now former council chairman of planning, said he made the decision after the reaction of people in his ward on St Mary's.

He said: "A lot of people felt very strongly about it, and it was coming to me that the vast majority of electors disagreed with the decision of the council.

"I do not disagree with it, and therefore I began to have the feeling that they lost confidence in me."

The policy committee voted five to four in favour of a 12% salary increase, plus a further 6% supplementary rise for some posts.

The chairwoman of the Council for the Isles of Scilly said the increases were necessary to encourage experienced people to apply for some local authority jobs on the islands despite their being lower paid than on the British mainland.