A COSLA spokesman said:
"The bottom line is that pay in local government across all of the workforce is settled until April 2013.
"We acknowledge the financial pressures this has created. The majority of councils have responded by introducing the Living Wage of £7.20 an hour benefitting those at the lower end of the pay scales.
"Additionally, about one third of the workforce will have benefitted from pay increments as they move up pay scales, where this applies.
"We are appreciative that the local government workforce has acted with restraint and recognises the extremely difficult circumstances councils are faced with as they address the challenge of continuing to provide vital services at the same time as protecting as many jobs as possible.
"Talks with the trade unions representing the bulk of the workforce are already planned and will commence this week to examine the prospect of ending the current freeze on pay from April 2013 onwards."