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Revealed: How much council 'fat cats' get paid
The six-figure salaries of the executives running local government in Lancashire can be revealed for the first time.
A Freedom of Information Act request by the TaxPayers' Alliance has uncovered the salaries of the top 10 local government bosses in the county.
At the top of the tree and earning 188,677 in 2006/7 was Lancashire County Council chief executive, Chris Trinick.
He is due to stand down later this year and will be succeeded by Ged Fitzgerald who stands to earn 190,000 once he starts work – more than Prime Minister Gordon Brown who takes home 188,849. MPs earn a basic salary of 61,000 a year.
According to the Town Hall Rich List, which shows council bosses earning more than 100,000, Preston Council chief executive Jim Carr took home 122,802, including car benefit of 12,453 and returning officer payments of 4,750.
Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "We ought to be looking again at salary levels if a chief executive is earning more than the Prime Minister and people are paying more council tax.
"It doesn't take Einstein to work it out.
"We need to see more reflective salaries, which reflect employees' positions and the number of people they are looking after."
Fylde MP Michael Jack said: "If somebody really can save the county council their salary by improving the way their directorate works, then I think a lot of members of the public would welcome that.
"Lancashire has got to make it clear that employees are going to be held accountable for the performance of the directorate, or be shown the door."
Six executives at County Hall are earning more than 100,000 a year, including Sue Mulvany, executive director for children and young people who was on 104,041 in 2006/7, 12.8% less than the year before.
Fylde, Wyre and Ribble Valley councils said they did not pay any members of staff more than 100,000.
Ken Hudson, leader of Preston council, said: "Some of these very high salaries, in excess of 100,000 are probably too much for the ratepayer of the city of Preston."
Hazel Harding, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: "I think if those people were working in the private sector they would be paid a whole lot more.
"We are a billion pound organisiation serving more than a million people. We are the fourth biggest authority, paying the going rate."
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said taxpayers had a right to know how much officials were being paid.
He said: "Too often, council executives are rewarded handsomely even when they fail. Families and pensioners are struggling with the demands of yet another council tax rise, and councils owe it to them to cut back on executive pay hikes."
Mr Carr was unavailable for comment as he is currently on leave.
Chorley Council boss, Donna Hall, is earning just over 118,000 after moving to the authority from Blackburn.
Fylde, Ribble Valley and South Ribble do not pay any staff more than 100,000.
>> Who is paid over 100,000 in our local Lancashire councils
>> Council staff to share 52m payout
>> Vote in our latest web poll
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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