Trade union leaders will meet next week (7 May) to plan their response to the 1% pay increase tabled by town hall bosses in a bid to break the three-year local government wage freeze.

GMB National Secretary for Public Services, Brian Strutton told The MJ: 'I think there will be disappointment among our members that the offer is only 1% but there will be relief that we've broken the three-year pay freeze and got our first national award since 2009.