Council workers have suspended planned strikes amid accusations of a possible ministerial climbdown over local government pensions.

After months of wrangling and a national strike in March, unions and council employers finally reached agreement last Wednesday (12 April) halting further industrial action set to take place on 25-27 April, and dispelling fears more would affect the local elections on 4 May. A joint statement from the public sector unions and local government employers said talks would now begin to ‘address the protection of existing scheme members, the recycling of savings and development of a more equitable scheme'.