Local government representatives from Unison have agreed to accept a two-year pay offer.

Pay negotiations for local government staff have been stalled since last March. The employers’ side offered a 1% increase in April with a further 1% next year.

GMB members voted to accept the deal, but Unison and Unite rejected it. Unite national officer for local government, Fiona Farmer, described it at the time as ‘paltry’.

Heather Wakefield, Unison’s head of local government, said today: ‘Having talked to members in local government across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we've decided that there are to be no further consultations and we have agreed to accept the employers' pay offer for 2016/18.’