A FORMER mayor of Blackburn today attacked inflation-busting increases in councillors' allowances and told the public -- You only have yourselves to blame.

Coun John Williams, who handed the mayoral chains over to his successor last week, hit out after the ruling Labour group approved rises in council allowances which average out at 10 per cent.

Public sector workers got three per cent.

While all Labour group can expect a rise on their previous earnings, many key opposition councillors are taking a cut, including Conservative deputy leader Fred Slater.

He said that had his money gone up by more than inflation, he would give the difference to charity.

But Coun Williams said: "The Conservative group voted against these proposals, but the Labour group forced them through.

"During the election we warned the voters that this was going to happen and we said we would not put them up so much. It is people's fault for voting for the Labour group. They only have themselves to blame.

"If they don't like it, they should remember it next time they go to the polling stations."

At a meeting of the full council, Labour councillors voted through the new allowance structure, which replaces the traditional attendance allowance system where councillors would be paid for the number of meetings they attended.

The figures had been calculated by an independent remuneration panel including a representative from the local health authority and the former dean of Blackburn Cathedral.

The basic allowance for all councillors will be £4,975. The panel had originally suggested a basic £5,600.

The rises are, on average, 10 per cent higher than those paid in the last published figures, for the year 2000/2001.

Coun Bill Taylor, leader of the council, will pocket £21,625 over the next 12 months, whereas in 2000/2001 the then leader of the council, Malcolm Doherty, earned £19,709.18 -- making for a rise of 9.7 per cent.

Coun Andy Kay, in charge of regeneration, will take home £10,875 -- up 13 per cent more than his predecessor Ashley Whalley made in 2000/2001.

Coun Colin Rigby, in charge of the opposition, will collect a 7.9 per cent rise, going up from £9,522.32 to £10,275.

Lib Dem leader Paul Browne will collect an extra 15 per cent on 2000/2001, rising from £5,590.85 to £6,475.

Coun Fred Slater -- who picked up £7,549 in 2000/2001 compared to the £4,975 basic, plus £1,500 he will get for being Conservative deputy leader -- stormed: "At a time when we are pushing up council tax 4.5 per cent, dipping into our reserves and restricting our staff to inflationary rises, it is scandalous that some councillors are getting more than 10 per cent more for their posts.

"I would give it to charity." Coun Alan Cottam -- whose money goes up by 9.3 per cent from £5,462 to £5,975 as a shadow portfolio holder -- added: "This system seems to be tailor-made for the ruling group."

Coun David Foster -- who as deputy leader of the Lib Dems will collect an extra 55 per cent, up from £3,845 to £5,975 -- said: "We don't agree with the rises and the extra money I shall be given will be given to local community groups in my ward who could do with the cash.

But Coun Bill Taylor said: "We received one set of proposals but felt it did not cover all the roles where extra responsibilities are involved so we asked for them to be reviewed as long as it did not increase the overall cost for allowances.

"Each party was invited to put its point of view across to the panel and we voted on the result. It had to be decided on at the most recent meeting so it could take effect in June.

"Many councillors work 30 to 40 hours a week and there is a lot of work that goes on below the waterline which people do not see."