CIVIC chiefs in Eastleigh are considering upping the wages of their lowest paid employees as part of a nationwide anti-poverty campaign.

Members of the borough council are being asked to consider bumping hourly rates up to a minimum of £7.45 by signing up to the Living Wage Foundation.

The figure, calculated by the Centre of Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University, is based on how much a parent of two – with a partner earning the same – needs to avoid the effects of poverty.

Lowest earners on the ‘Grade 1’ tier at Eastleigh Borough Council are currently earning a minimum of £6.29 an hour.

It is not yet clear whether the Living Wage would be applied to apprentices and interns at the authority.

Around 20 members of staff, including cleaners, caterers, cooks and youth workers, would see an increase and council bosses expect to pay out extra wages totalling between £20,000 and £25,000.

A number of other councils including Brighton and Hove, Birmingham and Norwich have already signed up to the voluntary scheme.

The Department for Work and Pensions has become the first Whitehall organisation to commit to the project with cleaners and catering staff being put on a new rate higher rate from April 2014.

A council report states that signing up to the scheme is “the right thing to do, although it is not compulsory.”

Cabinet members are due to discuss the matter during a meeting at the council’s Leigh Road headquarters on Thursday, June 13.