A REPORT that recommended controversial pay rises for council officers should be made public, the leader of the Caerphilly council Plaid Cymru group said.

Councillor Colin Mann said details of the report have been aired in the media but Caerphilly council taxpayers should have an opportunity to read the contents for themselves.

He said: "This is a matter of major public interest and the authority needs to show some openness and transparency after the debacle of these totally unjustified pay increases.

"There may be some elements of the report which are commercially confidential but that could be excluded from publication on the council’s website. There is no reason why this report cannot be released now."

A spokesman for the authority said: “The report will be subject to a public interest test at the special meeting of council on Thursday evening when members will get the opportunity to consider the status of the report.”