A group of town councillors has turned down the chance to award themselves an annual wage while their colleagues are split over whether to take the cash.

Members of Haywards Heath Town Council voted against Government legislation which would hand the community-spirited volunteers an annual allowance for their civic work but Burgess Hill town councillors look set to vote in favour of a regular pay cheque.

They have asked Mid Sussex District Council to work out how much they are likely to be paid before a final decision is made.

Coun Ann Jones, of Burgess Hill Town Council, believes the extra funds could help solve a crisis in town council participation.

She said: "It is not always easy to get people to come forward and stand.

"It can be a very expensive job - just the bills from my telephone are huge - and it puts people off.

"Some people assume I get paid and think I'm stupid when I tell them I don't.

"Some councils did not have elections because there weren't enough people coming forward.

"You seldom get young people coming forward. or single parents. It shouldn't only be something that well-healed, retired people can do."

District councillors already get a £4,000 allowance, although they can opt not to take the cash.

But until now, town councillors have only been able to claim for limited expenses, such as when they have to travel beyond the catchment area.

Coun Andrew Barrett-Miles, of Burgess Hill Town Council, believes it should stay that way.

He said: "I believe the chair should get an allowance and there should be travel allowances and allowances for carers, for example if a babysitter is needed, but that it should stop there.

"A general allowance is totally wrong in my opinion. I think it should be voluntary work because we are helping the people of Burgess Hill.

"I do voluntary work for charities and I don't get paid for it so I don't see why I should when I am helping people by being on the town council."

Coun Paddy Henry, a member of Haywards Heath Town Council, who voted in favour of rejecting the pay offer, agrees.

He said: "It's about doing it for love, not money.

"People say they have difficulty attracting councillors but no one becomes a councillor to be paid. It is perhaps different for the big councils.

"It is true we need to attract more young people, and we don't want the council's packed with oldies like me, but it is about the time not the money."

Burgess Hill town councillors will vote on the proposal in the autumn.