A council leader has given himself a pay rise, after declaring he is running a multi-million pound empire.

Keith Glazier, head of Tory-run East Sussex County Council, voted in favour of the 37 per cent pay hike at a time when council workers' pay has been stagnant, with wages either frozen or held to a one per cent increase for eight years.

Liberal Democrat councillor Sarah Osborne who voted against the rise, she said: "I am very strongly against it when the council is having to make such drastic cuts to major services - services that are in desperate need of funding.

"No councillors should be getting a pay rise. It is completely inappropriate and absolutely ridiculous."

Councillor Osborne, 53, added: "I don't know how he looks at himself in the mirror."