Plans to increase most Medway Council staff pay packets by 0.6% do not "go far enough", according to opponents.

Councillors will vote on the proposal – which also includes a 0.4% rise in performance-related pay – next month, although Labour has already suggested it does not support the changes.

Speaking last night (January 30), Cllr Naushabah Khan (Lab) said: “When some Medway Council employees are visiting food banks, you need to take a real hard look at exactly how we ensure people are getting sufficient pay.

“They are not just employees of Medway Council – they are local residents as well – so really I think this does not go far enough.

“I know times are tight and there are struggles in the council budget itself, but equally our staff are our greatest asset and I don’t think we are necessarily meeting or acknowledging that in the right way.”

Cllr Khan also suggested the proposed increase would have “long-term impacts” on retaining staff.

The unitary will add a total of £841,000 onto its wage bill if the plans are approved, although this figure does include statutory changes to the national minimum and living wages amounting to nearly £103,000.

The changes will apply to all staff employed under MedPay, therefore not including the 301 engaged under "nationally negotiated terms".

Cllr Vince Maple (Lab) said a 0.4% increase in "bonuses" given to employees who achieve specific targets – would not even amount to a £55 ticket for a council-run Jess Glynne gig for some officers.

He added: “The sad reality is the council has been promoting a concert which these staff will not be able to afford a ticket for with their performance-related pay if they’re on the lowest level of pay.

“The council needs to think what that looks like to the public and, more importantly, the staff here working very hard day-in, day-out.”

Although the concerns were acknowledged by Conservative members of the employment matters committee, they voted in favour of recommending the changes to full council on February 21.

Chairman Cllr Les Wicks (Con) concluded: “The reality is we have a budget that doesn’t allow us to do anything different to what we’re proposing this year.

“We have to make sure we stay within the permitted council tax increase, and to look at the budget to maintain good frontline services as well as everything else.

“In order to find funds, of course we have to find efficiency savings which is going on as we speak.

"As much as people might want to do more in terms of percentages, it can’t be done.”