A PAY cut is looming for councillors in Winchester as they attempt to balance their budget.

Winchester City Council is drawing up several ideas to save money, most of which are still under wraps.

Yet Cllr George Beckett, who leads the authority, has already revealed one of them, which is a five per cent cut in allowances to all members.

Payments are currently linked to inflation. As a result, they were already trimmed by 1.2 per cent earlier this year.

The authority has 57 members, who all qualify for a basic allowance of just under £6,000.

Senior councillors can also receive a special responsibility allowance, which in Cllr Beckett’s case, leads to a total package of more than £23,000.

“So I’ll be the one hardest hit,” he said this week.

He added: “This is an indication that we’re keen to maintain services on the ground while at the same time cutting overheads at the authority.”

If the full council, where the Tories have a majority, backs the idea next February then the cut will take effect two months later. It could save taxpayers around £23,000 each year.

Cllr Beckett added that scrutiny committees would receive a list of their other money-saving ideas in the next few days.