COUNCIL taxpayers' money could be used to fund a pension scheme for councillors, it emerged this week.

It comes as Preston councillors vote on Thursday on whether to request an independent panel to consider if they should get a pension.

But trade union bosses are warning that councillors risk looking "hypocritical" if they press ahead with plans to create a pension scheme for themselves.

They claim the move comes at a time when the pension rights of council staff face being cut, and workers in the town hall could be forced to work until they are 65, instead of 60 as it stands at the moment.

Mary Macguire, spokesman for Unison, said: "They risk looking hypocritical if they are talking about introducing a pension scheme for themselves at a time when local government employers are proposing to make employees work longer and for reduced benefits.

"I think our members are going to feel quite angry about this.

"We would not want to deny councillors anything they think they are entitled to, but they should think twice before trying to cut pension rights for their workforce."

Preston councillors are currently paid a basic taxable allowance of £3,195 per year, cabinet members receive a special responsibility allowance of £7,456, and the leader gets £10,119.

The pension plan looks set to get support from the Labour and the Conservative council members.

Council leader John Collins who is also the Labour group leader, said: "We will be supporting this, it seems a sensible thing to do.

"Unless we have something like this, we won't be able to get people of calibre to become councillors. It really is becoming more and more like a job, most councillors would do an absolute minimum of 12-hours a week on council matters, and some probably do between 20 and 24."

More than 90 councils across the country have already set up pension schemes for their councillors.

Terry Edwards, assistant director for the Employers' Organisation for local government, confirmed that proposals to change the pension benefits of local government employees were being considered, and added: "The point is that councillors will also have the same arrangements for their pensions."

Alex Flynn, of the Public and Commercial Services union, said: "It's safe to say that this move is certainly going to raise a few eyebrows."

Leader of the Conservative group, Ken Hudson, said: "We will be going along with it. What we will be doing is asking the panel to take a look at pensions while they carry out a review of allowances, we would then have to see what they say."

But the Liberal Democrats leader, Coun Alan Hackett, said they had reservations about how it would work.

Coun Michael Lavalette, for the Respect party, held firm with the traditional view that councillors were doing a duty rather than a job. He said: "I know there is a pension crisis looming in Britain, but I don't think taxpayers should pay for councillors to get a pension.

"They do not have to give up their jobs and are paid for their time with their allowances."

South Ribble Borough Council leader, Coun Howard Gore, said the authority had considered the pension scheme option for its council representatives but decided against it.