SUPPORT for Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats’ campaign against the increase in councillors’ allowances has rocketed - with their petition gaining more than 2,000 signatures in just four days.

A weekend of campaigning in Cambridge and Ely, as well as ongoing activity around the county, has raised the number of signatures on paper alone to more than 2,000. Signatures online had taken the total number over the 3,000 mark.

Lib Dem leader, Councillor Kilian Bourke, said: “The response on the street has been overwhelming, with people often queuing up to sign.

“The general view is that it is not appropriate for councillors to award themselves a 25 per cent pay rise at a time of wage freezes, redundancies and cuts to frontline services.

“This is not about party politics. It is about public servants being able to look the public they represent in the eye.

“I hope that council leader Nick Clarke will take heed of the public mood, admit he made a mistake and get it right second time round.”

The Lib Dems have put a motion to Cambridgeshire County Council on December 7 to reverse the controversial 25 per cent increase in councillor allowances before they become effective.

Sarah Whitebread, Lib Dem spokesman for localism, said: “I urge those who have not already done so to sign the petition at www.noto25percent.com

“If enough people sign up, there will be great pressure on politicians to scrap this increase.”