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Pay rises of up to £13,000 for council chiefs
2:10pm Monday 13th October 2008
By Matt Smith »
TOP council chiefs in Southampton are being recommended pay rises of up to 13 per cent, the Daily Echo can reveal.
That could mean some bosses receiving as much as £13,000 extra per year.
The latest proposal for the city’s 22 chief officers comes after frontline workers were offered only a 2.45 per cent rise and while the country is gripped by a credit crunch.
Unions and campaign groups have today condemned the proposals, and warned that local taxpayers will end up footing the massive salary bill.
The council’s five executive directors, who are already on salaries of more than £100,000, stand to get the biggest increases, backdated to April.
Your Vote
Should council officers get £13,000 salary hikes in light of the current economic crisis?
- Yes: 4%
- No: 96%
They include executive director of communities, health and care, John Beer, who takes home more than £115,000 and is currently pushing the controversial plan to close two council care homes, partly to save cash.
Also among the top officers recommended to receive the biggest rises is the head of the city’s education service, Clive Webster, who currently earns more than £105,000.
Chief executive Brad Roynon, who takes home more than £150,000, could get a rise of up to 3.5 per cent under the proposals.
Unions say that the pay plan is making a mockery of the Government’s 2.45 per cent offer for frontline workers which has provoked mass walkouts.
The proposals were put forward by the council’s head of organisational development as part of a two-yearly review.
A report requesting the backing of councillors said: “Maintaining a reasonable position in the pay market is important for the council to continue to be able to recruit good officers for key senior management roles.”
The council’s employment and appeals panel, made up of seven city councillors, will decide whether to grant the rises – which would cost an extra £68,769 a year – on Wednesday.
Unite branch secretary Mark Wood said: “I’m sure our members will be pretty outraged by it, especially considering the restrictions by Government on local government workers’ pay.
“It’s obviously going to cause a lot of ill-feeling among the workforce.”
Mark Wallace, campaign director of The Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “These proposed pay increases send out a very arrogant message that local taxpayers are being taken for granted.
“With everyone caught in the credit crunch these proposals must be rejected.
“It would be frankly obscene for senior council officers to cash in even more while everyone else suffers. It seems that there is one rule for the senior officers and another for frontline staff and taxpayers.”
Christine Melson, the Hampshire co-founder of the Is it Fair? campaign, calling for council tax reform, said: “These chief officers already enjoy huge amounts of pay. Their pay increases will also put up the pension contributions from the council.
“Such pay increases are bound to lead to higher council tax bills to fund these elite wages.”
The average householder living in a band D property currently pays £1,368.24 a year in council tax, of which £1,174.47 goes to the city council.
Councillor Jeremy Moulton, in charge of drawing up the council’s new budget, said: “I would like to look at increases for the council’s senior managers very carefully.
“It’s important we pay competitive rates to get good people. It’s a big organisation and we need to pay market rates.
“However, the financial situation is tight, and many people are getting below-inflation rises.
“I would like to look very carefully at what increase each officer is getting to ensure that it is fair and appropriate.”
Biggest earners
Total remuneration packages for 2006/2007 shown.
- John Beer, executive director of communities, health and care, £115,000+
- Carolyn Williamson, executive director of resources, £113,000+
- Clive Webster, executive director of children’s services and learning, £105,000+
- Lorraine Brown, executive director of environment, £106,000+
- Nick Murphy, executive director of neighbourhoods, £105,000+
See today's Daily Echo for the full story
Your Say YourEcho
Phantomdoll, Southampton says...
10:15am Mon 13 Oct 08
goard, Southampton says...
10:52am Mon 13 Oct 08
goard
Adrian Smith, Planet Earth says...
11:38am Mon 13 Oct 08
mr_lee_white@hotmail.com, Southampton says...
11:56am Mon 13 Oct 08
It wouldn't surprise me if we had the worst run Council in the country...
I've changed my mind, award them a £25,000 pay CUT!!!!!
bewildered, on the verge of giving up says...
12:07pm Mon 13 Oct 08
goard, Southampton says...
12:23pm Mon 13 Oct 08
goard
seawisedave, EASTLEIGH says...
12:25pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man, Southampton says...
1:00pm Mon 13 Oct 08
We've had 11 years of the people in the middle (home owners on incomes between £20-50k pa) being bled dry to pay for spoungers at the bottom and the top.
Are you listening Cllr Samuels? This could affect votes in the 2010 elections if allowed to happen.
Dr Alimantado, Babylon says...
1:42pm Mon 13 Oct 08
e them the money, but if they mess it up (inevitable) they are sacked immediately with no golden handshake
Me, Here, Now, Southampton says...
1:50pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Paramjit Bahia, Southampton says...
1:59pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Was the same council not pleading poverty and demanding that ordinary front line staff should accept below inflation pay rise, in other words pay cut?
Now for bosses they are considering amounts so large that some of the council workers will be lucky to earn after whole year's hard work.
What a hypocrisy and kick in the teeth of ordinary over worked and underpaid council staff?
Condor Man, Southampton says...
2:02pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Paramjit Bahia wrote:I wouldn't say that council staff were over worked or underpaid. The pay is no different to what people at Skandia or HSBC earn plus the benefits of sick pay, holidays and pensions are far better than anything in teh private sector. Like the Jenks bros have you ever done a proper days work in your life?
Was the same council not pleading poverty and demanding that ordinary front line staff should accept below inflation pay rise, in other words pay cut? Now for bosses they are considering amounts so large that some of the council workers will be lucky to earn after whole year's hard work. What a hypocrisy and kick in the teeth of ordinary over worked and underpaid council staff?
Costa Baz, Southampton says...
2:10pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Not sure what the average council worker is earning but if these greedy few were to forego this year rise, they would be able to employ several more staff to work with the public, providing better services where they are lacking.
Even if this greedy few only received a 3% pay rise (3k) it would still be equal to something like 20% or 25% of many of their staff's annual wage.
If ever there was a good advert for anarchy, it is the way the people who run councils and governments always put themselves before the people they are supposed to be serving.
Iw61, bitterne park says...
2:26pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man wrote:Is this the same Condorman who 'bravely' challeged people to heckle mike Tucker at the recent strike rally outside the Guildhall? You made that comment on this facility at the time and yet I was there and no one expressed any opposition.
Paramjit Bahia wrote: Was the same council not pleading poverty and demanding that ordinary front line staff should accept below inflation pay rise, in other words pay cut? Now for bosses they are considering amounts so large that some of the council workers will be lucky to earn after whole year's hard work. What a hypocrisy and kick in the teeth of ordinary over worked and underpaid council staff?I wouldn't say that council staff were over worked or underpaid. The pay is no different to what people at Skandia or HSBC earn plus the benefits of sick pay, holidays and pensions are far better than anything in teh private sector. Like the Jenks bros have you ever done a proper days work in your life?
I think it a bit rich you having a go at Parmjit Bahia when you are a bit of a coward and probably dont work yourself!!
Paramjit Bahia, Southampton says...
2:34pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man wrote:Condor Man, please feel free to insult me if it makes you feel better, but kindly do not offend me by associating with Jenks brothers. So try to think of another form of abuse...
Paramjit Bahia wrote: Was the same council not pleading poverty and demanding that ordinary front line staff should accept below inflation pay rise, in other words pay cut? Now for bosses they are considering amounts so large that some of the council workers will be lucky to earn after whole year's hard work. What a hypocrisy and kick in the teeth of ordinary over worked and underpaid council staff?I wouldn't say that council staff were over worked or underpaid. The pay is no different to what people at Skandia or HSBC earn plus the benefits of sick pay, holidays and pensions are far better than anything in teh private sector. Like the Jenks bros have you ever done a proper days work in your life?
You may have different views but I genuinely believe that ordinary council workers do work vary hard and provide good value for little money paid to them. Which may not be the case with top brass, the fat cats known as directors.
birdman, eastleigh says...
2:37pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Bewildered your right we need a Robin Hood not a robbing bunch of self centered biggots.
Condor Man, Southampton says...
3:21pm Mon 13 Oct 08
I feel sympathy for all council workers, a below inflation pay increase is a pay cut BUT for as long as the likes of Comrade Brown and Mandelson are in power the ordinary working person will continue to be fleeced.
As for heckling Mike Tucker the guy has done little to justify his wages and company car so why not?
Dazzler79, southampton says...
3:55pm Mon 13 Oct 08
To pay these useless nobody's a pay rise.
Absolute disgrace,how about spend it on better things.
But that is too easy for them!!!
IOwnTheLetterO, The Ford says...
4:03pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Secondly - until you've worked inside the council you won't realise just how much actually is done with the tax-payers money. However as there is only a limited amount they can take each year before the general public cry out, there is only a limited amount that can be done with that money. Like most things in life the good things are forgotten and people only focus on the bad. Nobody remembers when their bins were collected on time and quietly for 51 weeks a year, they only remember that one time when the lorry was delayed and they had to complain. Shame on you all.
waltons11, southampton says...
4:05pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Dazzler79, southampton says...
4:07pm Mon 13 Oct 08
IOwnTheLetterO wrote:Shut up and go away will you.
Firstly - this is not what the heads want. This is a recommendation from a report. Secondly - until you've worked inside the council you won't realise just how much actually is done with the tax-payers money. However as there is only a limited amount they can take each year before the general public cry out, there is only a limited amount that can be done with that money. Like most things in life the good things are forgotten and people only focus on the bad. Nobody remembers when their bins were collected on time and quietly for 51 weeks a year, they only remember that one time when the lorry was delayed and they had to complain. Shame on you all.
This council is and will always be shocking end of story.
my bins never get emptied on time or quietly.
idiot!!!
Lone Ranger, Southampton says...
4:19pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man wrote:Some of what you say is of course reasonably accurate, but, your comments re Brown and Mandelson are a little off the mark. I can only assume that you are tender in years and have been spared any exposure to a Tory Government. Hopefully it will be many years before you are
How can you vote out these people, none have been elected. They, like all socialists, have formed a little cabal to ensure that they have full control over your money without you having the power to stop them. I feel sympathy for all council workers, a below inflation pay increase is a pay cut BUT for as long as the likes of Comrade Brown and Mandelson are in power the ordinary working person will continue to be fleeced. As for heckling Mike Tucker the guy has done little to justify his wages and company car so why not?
Condor Man, Southampton says...
4:26pm Mon 13 Oct 08
If you are deluded enough to think that we are not heading for a socialist government then you obviously don't own your own home, have savings or a job in the private sector like the majority of us.
D.a.v.e, Bitterne says...
4:34pm Mon 13 Oct 08
IOwnTheLetterO wrote:I can assure you i have worked for the council and would point out that this suggested pay rise is minute in comparison to the freebies, backhanders and free holidays these people receive.
Firstly - this is not what the heads want. This is a recommendation from a report. Secondly - until you've worked inside the council you won't realise just how much actually is done with the tax-payers money. However as there is only a limited amount they can take each year before the general public cry out, there is only a limited amount that can be done with that money. Like most things in life the good things are forgotten and people only focus on the bad. Nobody remembers when their bins were collected on time and quietly for 51 weeks a year, they only remember that one time when the lorry was delayed and they had to complain. Shame on you all.
Lone Ranger, Southampton says...
4:48pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man wrote:You make far too many assumptions.
I remember the Tory years well, negative equity and 15% interest rates. I don't remember my bank being taken over by the state though. If you are deluded enough to think that we are not heading for a socialist government then you obviously don't own your own home, have savings or a job in the private sector like the majority of us.
If you have an alternative solution to the banks being taken over by the Govt then you best come up with it. The entire WORLD would like to hear it as not many other ideas have been that successful. Perhaps your sign-in should be Einstein or just smart-a**
Dazzz, Southampton says...
5:01pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Paramjit Bahia, Southampton says...
5:59pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man wrote:Fail to see the logic.
How can you vote out these people, none have been elected. They, like all socialists, have formed a little cabal to ensure that they have full control over your money without you having the power to stop them. I feel sympathy for all council workers, a below inflation pay increase is a pay cut BUT for as long as the likes of Comrade Brown and Mandelson are in power the ordinary working person will continue to be fleeced. As for heckling Mike Tucker the guy has done little to justify his wages and company car so why not?
Brown and Mandelson the saviours of financiers of Tory Party, the crook bankers, have nothing in common with hard working average council worker.
It is the first time I have ever heard of Mike Tucker being provided with company car by the council. Perhaps obvious Conservative fan Condor man has some misinformation /explanation to share with us less informed lot.
Socialist cabal? Amazing these people do not want to talk about right wing secret organisations like Bilderbergers who make even Freemasons look like **** cats!
m lauder, southampton says...
6:11pm Mon 13 Oct 08
£13,000 is more than some hard working people earn in a year, I think these bosses should lead by example and refused this pay rise. Being paid over £105,000 a year is over the top, you can't say they exactly work for it, unlike those council employees who have been offered less than the current inflation rate - fair - I don't think so.
AngrySotonResident, says...
6:12pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Condor Man wrote:Well I am going to bang on about the elderly as not all of them have massive pentions, not all of them live in their own homes, not all of them have full mobility and to be honest from your statement you're Unappreciative of you own grandparent and parents and as they finacially supported you in your younger days it's only right that we give something back without the fat cats of office absorbing it all.
Don't bang on about the elderly and kids, the true losers in all this are the Council Tax payers. People paying over £1000 a year to line the pockets of the likes of Clive Webster- who should have fallen on his sword after the LEA were in the bottom 10 in the country for SATS results. We've had 11 years of the people in the middle (home owners on incomes between £20-50k pa) being bled dry to pay for spoungers at the bottom and the top. Are you listening Cllr Samuels? This could affect votes in the 2010 elections if allowed to happen.
Plum Pudding, phillipjackman@waitrose.com says...
6:16pm Mon 13 Oct 08
However do not tar us all with the same brush...
Each year I have seen "bosses" wages increase far above inflation because it "is the going rate", and the need "to attract the best" but as a "pleb" I have fallen consistently behind both bosses wages , and those in the private sector.
This year, I have been offered, as part of a three year deal, 2% ...not bad comparitively speaking...but next year and the year after, 1%. Three year's rises do not even approach one year's price increases...
So we aren't all the same...and don't forget that 2% of a low wage is next to nothing!
UTS, says...
6:35pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Self righteous load of tosh as per usual.
Lets hope the Daily Echo editor and none of its journo staff get a payrise.
Brian Hooper, Southampton says...
7:27pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Take a look at last Thursday's Echo report on salaries in local businesses (notably excluding the Echo) and see how the council figures stand up.
AngrySotonResident, says...
8:02pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Brian Hooper wrote:The salaries of local business men is deserved and earned through hard work and development of the company. seeing as the council is a public funded service and the public have no choice as to whom they pay money to then any information regarding council chief salaries should and must be made public and Scrutinised by the public.
I used to assess pay levels at the County Council. It's a complex business, and a lot of factors need to be taken into account. I cannot believe the Echo has much of the relevant information - but don't let a lack of information get in the way of an inflammatory headline, eh? I also can't believe those who criticise the senior officers so viciously have much relevant information either. Take a look at last Thursday's Echo report on salaries in local businesses (notably excluding the Echo) and see how the council figures stand up.
billkearns, southampton says...
8:40pm Mon 13 Oct 08
Brian Hooper, Southampton says...
8:42pm Mon 13 Oct 08
robwat, hedge end says...
9:14pm Mon 13 Oct 08
work-on, waltham chase says...
9:43pm Mon 13 Oct 08
martinl.wild@btinternet.com, lymington says...
9:28am Tue 14 Oct 08
kingthom, southampton says...
1:45pm Thu 16 Oct 08
Ian24, Portswood says...
5:28pm Thu 16 Oct 08
All these people do is moan private sectors get paid more without any evidence.
I doubt many private sector workers and bosses in the Southampton area get paid more than Brad. They will be in the top percent of earners in Southampton by a long way.
Condor Man, Southampton says...
10:36pm Thu 16 Oct 08
fiddlestix, southampton says...
10:52pm Thu 16 Oct 08
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AngrySotonResident, says...
10:09am Mon 13 Oct 08
Whilst unemployment increases and people and currently falling on times of finacial difficulty these b@stards in our council offices are once again planning on rewarding themselves above inflation payrises. It goes to prove that they don't care about the elderly, about people with disabilities, employees, children etc etc. All they care about is giving themselves a nice fat pay cheque each and every year.
They are scum!