A LEADING councillor has rejected a cut in his allowances, saying: “I still have to live”.

Peter Britcliffe was paid more than £43,000 last year for his roles on Hyndburn Borough Council, Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Fire Authority.

In an email exchange between county councillors, the Conservative said he could not ‘see the point’ in the gesture.

And the Lib Dem proposing it admitted the move would be ‘purely symbolic’ and aimed at generating positive press coverage.

Today Lancashire County Council is meeting to agree a budget including £179million spending cuts, which is expected to lead to widespread job losses.

The online exchange, obtained by the Lancashire Telegraph, came after Preston councillor Mark Jewell accidentally copied all 84 county councillors into an email meant for his Liberal Democrat colleagues.

In it, he proposed a 3.6per cent cut in the allowances paid to county councillors, writing: “This is the average amount by which budgets are being reduced across the patch.

“It is purely symbolic with no great savings, but it would provide a headline ‘Councillors must share the burden of cuts’ or something like that.”

Coun Jewell told the Lancashire Telegraph the email was ‘obviously a mistake’, adding: “I didn’t mean to ping it to everyone.”

A number of Tory councillors jumped on his slip, including Coun Britcliffe, the leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, who replied: “Cant see the point in symbolic gestures ... I still have to live”.

Asked about the comment yesterday, Coun Britcliffe said Coun Jewell’s suggestion had ‘denigrated’ the work of councillors, adding: “I work very hard as a politician full-time.

“We are making a gesture by not taking an increase in our allowances.”

Coun Britcliffe later added: “The idea that we should play ‘gesture politics’ just to grab a headline seemed contemptible.

"I’m guilty of letting that overspill and my reply was intended to treat the suggestion with the contempt I thought it deserved.”

According to council and fire authority documents, Coun Britcliffe was paid a total of £43,382 in 2009/10.

However he said this included reimbursements for expenses including travel.

Labour councillor Mohammed Iqbal, of Brierfield and Nelson North ward, accused Coun Britcliffe of ‘insensitivity’.

He added: “The Tories are saying ‘we’re all in this together’ – maybe he should lead by example.”