All six members of West Oxfordshire District Council's cabinet face a cut in their allowances.

An independent scrutiny panel says that the allowances -- which caused uproar when they were introduced last April, when the cabinet system came in -- should now be reduced.

The leader, currently Cllr Barry Norton, would find his yearly "pay packet" cut from £17,900 to £16,650.

And the five other cabinet members, who are, like Cllr Norton, all Conservatives, would see their allowance reduced from £14,400 to £12,950.

The money includes a £3,700 annual allowance paid out to all 49 district councillors. This element, says the panel, should remain the same.

The cuts, which will also hit others with special responsibilities, will reduce the annual allowances bill from £312,000 to £292,000.

The next full council meeting on Friday is being urged to accept the reductions.