Voting reform was part of the partnership agreement

Holyrood's local government committee has endorsed a system of proportional representation (PR) for elections from 2007 and a new pay deal for local authority members.

The PR system was part of the Liberal Democrats' coalition deal with Labour at the last Holyrood election.

Conservative committee member David Mundell said it was "a political fix".

Committee support for the move means the measure is expected to succeed, even though Labour is against it.

The committee recommended that a severance scheme should be extended to cover councillors who lose their seats in 2007, rather than just those who decide to stand down.

Labour committee member Paul Martin opposed the council election voting reform.

The committee considers reform of the voting system an essential plank in the drive to modernise local government across Scotland Bristow Muldoon Local Government Committee

His colleagues insist that change will better reflect the wishes of voters - unlike the present system, where Labour won nearly 90% of the seats in Glasgow with 47% of the vote.

MSPs warn that the new system will need to be carefully explained to voters.

They suggest that elections may have to be held on a different day from the parliamentary elections to avoid any confusion.

Labour's Bristow Muldoon, the committee convener, said: "On balance, the committee considers reform of the voting system an essential plank in the drive to modernise local government across Scotland."

'Trade-off'

But Mr Mundell said the move would damage local government.

"I do not believe that the balance of the evidence the committee received suggested reforming the voting system would modernise Scottish local government," the MSP for South of Scotland said.

"The report's recommendations are not an impartial conclusion, but a political fix."

Mr Mundell said the first-past-the-post system created a direct link between councillors and the electorate.