Elected representatives in Bath and North East Somerset could be in line for a pay rise.
Calling for an independent review, council leader Dine Romero said the £8,000 allowance councillors receive could deter disadvantaged people from standing for election.
Councillor Chris Watt criticised the move, saying many employed by the council could not expect large pay rises.
But cabinet member for resources Richard Samuel said a recent reduction in the number of councillors had increased workloads and the sums they receive do not reflect that.
Cllr Romero said: “I’m firmly of the belief that a councillor should represent our society. We need to make sure we make this role as attractive as we possibly can.
“I think it’s clear we aren’t wholly representative of our community and need to do what we can to address that, to encourage greater diversity.”
She argued allowances should be set nationally, adding: “It’s very difficult sometimes to accept the findings of an independent panel because it often comes across as we’re voting to reward ourselves, which is not the intention.”
Every councillor receives a basic allowance of £7,993 – a sum that decreased by £66 after the last review in 2017 – and those with special responsibilities get extra on top.
For her role as leader, Cllr Romero receives an additional £32,445, while her deputy, Cllr Samuel, and cabinet members get £19,484 each.
There are also extra allowances for committee chairs that are worth up to £14,314.
Reviews of allowances are only scheduled to take place every five years.
Cllr Watt said: “We only had a review two years ago. It’s clear the intention is to seek a more generous allowance as one way to make it more attractive for people to come forward as councillors.
“We’ve just completed quite a costly exercise to reduce the number of councillors from 65 to 59 to reduce the cost of democratic services.
“Many members of staff aren’t in receipt of large pay rises, and foster carers aren’t in receipt of increases to their allowances.
“I would suspect we would regret the panel producing anything like the recommendations seen in other areas.
“It will go down like a very untasty sandwich with our residents.”
Cllr Samuel said the number of councillors was not reduced solely to cut costs, and the boundary commission’s review had not considered the impact it would have on workloads.
He added: “That’s the primary purpose of this review – to look at the impact on the remaining members and see if the allowance is correct.
“There’s no presumption allowances will go up or down.
“There have been major changes to the responsibility that councillors have.
“It’s only right that allowances and remuneration should be reviewed. It brings us up to date.”
Cllr Samuel said any changes to allowances would not be implemented until 2021/22, nearly five years after the last review.
Conservative group leader Paul Myers said the council would have the power to accept or reject the independent panel’s recommendations.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
