Bosses lose their secret pay rises at Caerphilly council meeting

Chief executive Anthony O'Sullivan and 20 other top managers were handed 30 per cent pay boosts at the cost of over £380,000 a year to the council.

Hundreds of workers enduring a three-year freeze on wages walked out of work in protest at the payouts after news of the behind closed doors deal was leaked last month.

And today Mr O'Sullivan was forced to present councillors with a number of options to reverse the pay awards based on legal advice by Cardiff's Geldards law firm.

The ruling Labour group, opposition Plaid Cymru group and independent councillors were all expected to vote in favour of reversing the pay awards.

GMB's political officer for Wales Mike Payne told the Star: "The GMB branch and its members fully support the reversal of that pay award.

"Most people have seen a 15 per cent cut in pay over the last three years because inflation has continued going up and their wages have stayed the same."

And Unite Wales regional officer Graham Smith said: "We firmly believe whatever legal steps possible must be taken to re-dress this wrong and unjustified pay rise and serious lessons need to be learnt."