PETER Reeve is looking to persuade Cambridgeshire County Council to stop paying its elected members allowances and expenses.

“We as councillors should first show real leadership,” says Cllr Reeve. “I personally do not claim any expenses, and I give them to local charities and good causes in my ward.

“However, many councillors seem to consider serving the community as something that should also be funding their lifestyles.”

With volunteering now part of the Big Society he thinks it is “duplicitous that councillors should still expect to make money out of serving their community.”

He wants a vote in council to see which others are “prepared to share the pain and which are not”.