Town Hall Rich List 2011

THE TOWN HALL "RICH LIST" has been published by the Tax Payers' Alliance (TPA) for 2011. The List has revealed that 2,295 council staff earned over £100,000 in 2009-10 which was up 18 per cent on 2008-09 figure.

In the East Riding Council, then according to the Rich List, 12 top officers received over £100,000 in remuneration (includes expenses, benefits in-kind, and employers' pension contributions). This included Nigel Pearson the Chief Executive who enjoyed £201,000 remuneration including his salary, fees and allowances of £176,000.

Other top remuneration quoted for 2009-10 includes £163,000 for the Director of Corporate Resources (increase of 5.2%) and £152,000 for the Director of Children, Family and Adult Services (increase of 2.0%).

In its Press Release the TPA said:

"Since the first Town Hall Rich List in 2007, the number of senior staff receiving such large sums has soared and the latest list shows that trend continuing. Executive pay in town halls across the UK has continued to be insulated from economic reality, despite the urgent need to find savings and many councils claiming they are being forced to cut services because they are getting less money from central government."

For the first time, the TPA research has been compiled primarily from councils’ statements of accounts. Previously the Town Hall Rich List has been derived from Freedom of Information requests, but the Government is now urging councils to provide detailed remuneration reports for senior officers.

The East Riding Council's own information is published on its website at www.eastriding.gov.uk/advice-and-benefits/senior-officers-salaries/ and reveals the following top salaries, as at 31 October 2010, of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Corporate Management Team:

• Chief Executive, Nigel Pearson, £170,067
• Interim Director of Corporate Resources, Malcolm Sims, £116,793
• Director of Policy, Partnerships and Improvement, Steve Button, £116,793
• Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services, Nigel Leighton, £116,793
• Director of Children, Family and Adult Services, Alison Michalska, £129,087
• Director of Planning and Economic Regeneration, Alan Menzies, 124,989

Read more...

Councillors to vote on top officer salaries

LOCALLY ELECTED COUNCILLORS should all have to vote on decisions about whether they want to pay staff salaries over £100,000, according to Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles.

Ministers today signalled their intention to issue new guidance on a salary ceiling at which remuneration decisions should be always brought before a full council vote.

The Government's Localism Bill includes provisions to require councils to put forward statements on pay – including bonuses and annual increases - to elected council members who must approve and publish this information.

"The changes we are introducing will mean that local government jobs will now have to be 'democracy proofed' before mega salaries are paid out. I think the democratically elected members of any council should make sure they have their say on pay and that £100,000 is the place to start that." Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles.

It has previously taken Freedom of Information requests from journalists, the Tax Payers Alliance or members of the public before the East Riding has released information on top salaries or on the pay of its Chief Executive. See Town Hall Rich List and Top Council Pay.

This new Government initiative will ensure decisions on senior pay are taken by all the democratically elected councillors in the council at an open meeting and will improve transparency and local democratic accountability in how senior pay is set within local government.

Read more...