OINK! It's the sound of the snouts going into the town hall money troughs as councillors vote themselves pay increases way above the level of inflation.

At Blackburn, they are grabbing a 10 per cent rise -- around four times the rate of inflation.

In Hyndburn, the recommended increase is 20 times the cost of living. In Burnley, they have pegged the rise to a 'modest' 13 per cent despite a 66 per cent increase being mooted.

Why bother with Lotto? Just get yourself elected -- the odds and the pay-outs are much better.

But, hey, don't blame the councillors on the collecting end -- they'll tell you this isn't any of their doing. These increases are recommended by independent panels.

Recommended, yes. But accepted and voted in by whom? Disinterested parties? Give over!

Yet, even if they salve their consciences by passing the buck to these manifestly out-of-touch remuneration committees and add to their piety by voting in increases of somewhat lesser magnitude than the ones of the independent panels put forward, is it not an inescapable fact that councillors are still grabbing pay rises umpteen times higher than those awarded to the taxpayers funding theirs?

Just where is the justice in that?