A 'living wage' pay deal for local government workers has been hailed as the best outside London by Cosla, a representative group for councils. Although the one per cent pay rise falls well below inflation of 2.7%, Cosla said a guaranteed rate of £7.50 an hour has also been pledged for 17,000 of the lowest-paid council employees from next April. It added that local authorities had gone to the "limits of affordability" considering the financial strain many of them are experiencing.