COUNCILLORS in Basingstoke have hit out at the government's decision to only offer NHS staff a three per cent pay rise this year.

The move, announced earlier this week, came after the government's initial decision to increase pay to doctors, nurses and other frontline medical staff by one per cent was routinely criticised.

But now, industrial action is among the options nurses may consider, a union leader said.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is among those who have been highly critical of the pay uplift, saying it was a “bitter blow” and the salary increase would be a cut once inflation was taken into account.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the “average nurse” will receive an additional £1,000 a year, while many porters and cleaners will get around £540.

And Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “To recognise the extraordinary contribution they have made they are receiving a 3 per cent pay rise this year.”

But some councillors in the borough said the pay rise was ‘dissapointing’ and ‘unfair’ on the lower paid members of staff.

Labour councillor for South Ham, Cllr Stephanie Grant, told the Gazette: “I think it’s shocking when you think that the expected rate of inflation is actually 3.7 per cent, it is in effect a pay cut.

"If inflation is more than the percentage that they are getting in the pay rise then obviously that is not a pay rise.

“I think if we’ve learnt one thing over the last year and half then that is that the money is there when we need it.

"If we can waste 37 billion on a failed test and trace I’m sure we can afford to give the nurses a 15 per cent pay rise.

“The way the nurses have worked through this pandemic has been absolutely exceptional and when you see nurses that having to use food banks that tells you that they are not getting enough money for what they are doing.

"We desperately need our NHS staff, this year has absolutely exhausted them and to give them a 3 per cent pay rise and clap them every week is not fair.”

The 3 per cent increase was recommended by an independent body and will be paid to the majority of NHS staff in England including nurses, paramedics, consultants, dentists and salaried GPs but does not cover doctors and dentists in training.

Cllr Simon Bound, deputy leader of the Conservatives on BDBC, told the Gazette: “It is always very difficult to comment on other public services as far as their budgetary constraints and their salary reviews.

"I know for us at the council we are very constrained by the recommended review even though people work really really hard.

 “I think we would all join in the thanks for all key workers but actually we shouldn’t forget that in the NHS there are some people who are on incredibly low wages and some that are on actually quite high rate wages compared to the national average.

"I think we can all understand why the 1 per cent pay rise would have been very difficult to accept because the cost of living has gone up and it could be perceived a pay cut, so absolutely the 3 per cent is a significant improvement from 1 per cent.”

The Government has confirmed that there will be no new money to fund the 3 per cent pay rise for NHS staff in England.

No 10 said the rise would come out of the existing health service’s budget.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat Group Leader at BDBC, Cllr Gavin James said: “I’m disappointed obviously I think the 1 per cent was an insult and 3 per cent sounds far more reasonable but it needs to be sustained over a number of years.

"My fear is that [NHS staff] will get 3 per cent this year and then in future years it’s not going to happen.

“We’ve got really tough year catching up with the all the cancelled operations. The value of NHS is massive and they are going to struggle to recruit less you pay them decent money."

Cllr James continued: "So if it’s 3 per cent this year, bearing in mind there’s a pay freeze for all the other public sector, perhaps it is understandable but there needs to be a long-term plan in place to make sure that will pay in the NHS for particularly those in the lower wages is brought up to standard and up-to-date.”

It comes after the chair of the Hampshire Police Federation said that officers felt "undervalued after everything they have done during the pandemic", after it was announced pay for police officers would be frozen.