TORFAEN councillors accepted a pay rise despite opposition members putting forward an amendment to reject the proposal.

An increase of 2.45 percent for councillors' basic and special responsibility allowances was recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.

The council agreed to implement the proposals in full in November 2008.

However at the council's last full meeting on March 31, Conservative councillor Graham Smith put forward an amendment to reject the pay rise.

Mr Smith said: "The council is facing financial difficulties like all local authorities at the moment.

"Therefore it seems wrong that councillors should be giving themselves a pay rise."

In a recorded vote members voted by 23 to 16 to reject Cllr Smith's amendment, with all Labour councillors, three Plaid Cymru councillors and three Independent councillors agreeing to the pay rise.

The three Plaid Cymru councillors have pledged the difference of their pay rise will be donated to the Tenovus charity.

Councillors will now get a basic allowance of £13,030 per year up from £12,718 and special responsibility allowances will vary from an extra £5,534 per year, up to an extra £27,679 for the leader.

The Leader of Torfaen council, Bob Wellington said: "The Independent Remuneration Panel are quite clear that the modern councillor role should be respected as a professional one requiring a significant amount of time for constituency business, which can be conducted at all times of the day and every day of the week.

"This may affect work opportunities and personal income and could be a deterrent when people consider whether to enter the political arena.

"The remuneration paid to councillors intends to strike a balance and ensure councillors broadly reflect the citizens they represent."