Protester poses as Halloween skeleton before secret discussions

Angry demonstrators shouted at Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's councillors going into Maidenhead Town Hall yesterday evening.

They were members of staff furious at the prospect of major changes to their pay and working conditions.

One demonstrator dressed as a Halloween skeleton carried a banner saying 'Tory councillors are Grim'.

Inside the town hall councillors were due to decide behind closed doors whether or not to pull out of the national negotiating framework with the GMB - Britain's General Union.

Their decision is expected to be announced this morning but already rumours that they agreed to do this are circulating.

GMB organiser Frank Minal said that as many as 250 to 300 staff already faced effective pay cuts and warned: "If the authority does pull out of national negotiating framework, councillors will face a lot more angry staff when they do visit the town hall."

He was dismissive of claims by one councillor that some demonstrators had been 'bussed in' to swell last night's protest, saying: "At most there were three or four union people who had come to assist - the rest were all legitimate staff members."

The decision from last night's meeting will be revealed later this morning. Click back later for the decision.