Council staff in Bridgend County Borough Council have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action after the authority refused to honour the 1% pay deal struck between unions and local government employers in England and Wales.

Last week Bridgend chief executive Darren Mepham wrote to staff explaining the 1% increase would only be granted to employees at grade one and grade two in 2014/15, in a bid to save £1m out of total £36m budget savings and protect existing jobs.

‘The pay freeze will include senior managers, and councillors have been asked by the leader to forego the 1% increase that has been nationally approved for elected members across Wales,' Mr Mepham stated in an email distributed to staff.