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Council bosses' £100k club revealed
SALARIES of council bosses have been branded "obscene" as hundreds of low-paid workers face wage cuts.
It has been revealed six people at Blackburn with Darwen council are paid more than £100,000 a year.
The announcement comes as unions threaten strike action over the controversial job evaluation process, which will leave 1,266 people worse off.
Unison branch secretary Katherine Johnson said: "The people who are earning these wages aren't even affected by job evaluation It's crazy.
"It's just obscene, especially for people who are looking at huge cuts."
A separate review of high-earners' wages was expected, but no deadline had been announced, she added.
And Ros Shepherd, of the Transport and General Workers section of Unite added: "It's a bit ironic that they are cutting people's salaries when there are wages on that scale.
"I have no problem with people earning the right amount of money but there are so many losers in this."
Blackburn with Darwen chief executive Graham Burgess said almost £1 million of savings from directors' salaries had been made in the past year.
He said: "We have a budget well in excess of £250 million and employ thousands of staff. The salaries are broadly in line with the market and other public sector organisations".
According to the Taxpayers' Alliance Town Hall Rich List 2008, Mr Burgess is the biggest earner in the town hall, on £120,682. Also mentioned are director of regeneration Adam Scott, on £105,084, director of children's services Peter Morgan on £114,119, finance director Alan Cotton, £111,331, deputy chief executive (community and personal) Harry Catherall on £114,628 and Andrew Lightfoot, deputy chief executive (regeneration and technical) on £105,561.
According to the report, compiled using Freedom of Information Act requests, Lancashire County Council also had six bosses earning more than £100,000. Pendle council chief executive Stephen Barnes earned £100,000 while Burnley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Ribble Valley had no staff on more than £100,000.
Top of the pile overall was Northamptonshire County Council boss Peter Gould, on £215,000.
Taxpayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Elliot said: "Taxpayers have a right to know how much senior town hall officials are being paid because only then can we judge whether they deserve their remuneration."
8:39am Friday 28th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: vikingpower, blackburn on 8:44am Fri 28 Mar 08
**** disgrace!
Posted by: Marcus, London on 9:25am Fri 28 Mar 08
All this information is in the public domain and is available on the council website.
Earth-shattering scoop of the year it is not.
All this information is in the public domain and is available on the council website.
Earth-shattering scoop of the year it is not.
Posted by: Jim on 10:40am Fri 28 Mar 08
Stephen Barnes is not worth £100k a year!!
Stephen Barnes is not worth £100k a year!!
Posted by: B&D worker, gt harwood on 11:15am Fri 28 Mar 08
HOW DOES THIS WORK THEN!!!!!!CUT EVEYONES ELSE WAGES TO PAY THE MUPPETS. LETS STRIKE.NOT JUST ONE DAY.WEEKS TILL THEY SEE WHAT THEY DOING TO THE WORK FORCE.RE-GRADE THE MUPPETS
HOW DOES THIS WORK THEN!!!!!!CUT EVEYONES ELSE WAGES TO PAY THE MUPPETS. LETS STRIKE.NOT JUST ONE DAY.WEEKS TILL THEY SEE WHAT THEY DOING TO THE WORK FORCE.RE-GRADE THE MUPPETS
Posted by: Alexander Gordon, Darwen. on on 11:18am Fri 28 Mar 08
I think at is Disgraceful that these Bosses should get this sort of salaries while hard working Low-paid council workers have to get their wages cut. It should be "one cut all cut"
I think at is Disgraceful that these Bosses should get this sort of salaries while hard working Low-paid council workers have to get their wages cut. It should be "one cut all cut"
Posted by: Rod Aldridge, Capita HQ on 11:40am Fri 28 Mar 08
What do you need a council for anyway? Just get Capita to take over and run things for you.
What do you need a council for anyway? Just get Capita to take over and run things for you.
Posted by: JW, B'Burn on 11:44am Fri 28 Mar 08
Totally unjustifiable.
Posted by: Ashurstman, Lancashire on 12:03pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Crapita - twice the price and half as goo. See their record in Private Eye!!
Crapita - twice the price and half as goo. See their record in Private Eye!!
Posted by: frogmundus, the pond on 2:06pm Fri 28 Mar 08
the gluttonous greed is just plain for all to see .need some new councillors to slash these contracts and wages of the top earners , not those at the bottom
the gluttonous greed is just plain for all to see .need some new councillors to slash these contracts and wages of the top earners , not those at the bottom
Posted by: ME, local on 2:11pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Can we see there expenses also
Can we see there expenses also
Posted by: salim, Blackburn on 2:27pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Harry Catterall and Mr Burgess and the other cronies then has the nerve to cut salaries through the very flawed job evaluation process. What a disgrace, i work in the council and i know people who are going to loose 30% of their wages throught this flawed process. This is a Joke Harry Catterall and Adam Scott addressed the workers loosing pay and they had the most ARROGANT ATTITUDE to peoples concerns. We should Evaluate their Job Roles and see if they are worth what they are paid. I tell you now they are not.
Harry Catterall and Mr Burgess and the other cronies then has the nerve to cut salaries through the very flawed job evaluation process. What a disgrace, i work in the council and i know people who are going to loose 30% of their wages throught this flawed process. This is a Joke Harry Catterall and Adam Scott addressed the workers loosing pay and they had the most ARROGANT ATTITUDE to peoples concerns. We should Evaluate their Job Roles and see if they are worth what they are paid. I tell you now they are not.
Posted by: Kevin, Colne on 2:56pm Fri 28 Mar 08
The managerial class have captured public burueas, and councillors have let them!
I really worry about the tensions in our society with a managerial elite in the public sector that believes it has a right to be remunerated as well as those at the top of the private sector, a political class that seems increasingly to want to enrich themselves at the expense of the people they are supposed to represent and a government that is in total denial about the true state of the nation and uses a measure of inflation (the CPI) that is totally at odds with the reality of most peoples' experience of the cost-of-living.
The managerial class have captured public burueas, and councillors have let them!
I really worry about the tensions in our society with a managerial elite in the public sector that believes it has a right to be remunerated as well as those at the top of the private sector, a political class that seems increasingly to want to enrich themselves at the expense of the people they are supposed to represent and a government that is in total denial about the true state of the nation and uses a measure of inflation (the CPI) that is totally at odds with the reality of most peoples' experience of the cost-of-living.
Posted by: Disgruntled you bet!! on 5:09pm Fri 28 Mar 08
I wonder if they argue the toss over the differences in their salaries. I mean surley Andrew Lightfoot feels slighted that Harry Catherall earns, ooh lets see now 9kish more than him (about the eqivelant of the average take home pay of an average admin worker). I used to like Andrew Lightfoot but he's now gone and put himself in the same sneaky slimey catagory as the rest of them! He must drink lots of horlicks........
Now then, I wonder if the public are aware of the council's up and coming CPA? No doubt there will be lots of schmoozing with the people on the ground who actually do all the hard work so that they can maintain their excellent status.....I think not! but if they do you can guarantee there will have been lots of false promises made to the people responsible for getting the work out. And by the way, has anyone wondered why the legal department seems to have evaded JE......miraculously
. Method in their madness....you bet!!
I wonder if they argue the toss over the differences in their salaries. I mean surley Andrew Lightfoot feels slighted that Harry Catherall earns, ooh lets see now 9kish more than him (about the eqivelant of the average take home pay of an average admin worker). I used to like Andrew Lightfoot but he's now gone and put himself in the same sneaky slimey catagory as the rest of them! He must drink lots of horlicks........
Now then, I wonder if the public are aware of the council's up and coming CPA? No doubt there will be lots of schmoozing with the people on the ground who actually do all the hard work so that they can maintain their excellent status.....I think not! but if they do you can guarantee there will have been lots of false promises made to the people responsible for getting the work out. And by the way, has anyone wondered why the legal department seems to have evaded JE......miraculously
. Method in their madness....you bet!!
Posted by: Lets play fair, Lancashire on 7:33pm Fri 28 Mar 08
George Campling Director of Customer Services volunteered for redundancy & will leave the authority on 31st December 2008. He will retain the title of Director of Customer Services until then.
Why is he allowed to volunteer for redundancy when none of the other employees have been offered it?
Perhaps the LET will look at why he is still being paid as a Director & under Freedom of Information establish how much redundancy payment & golden handshake he gets?..
Corruption.
George Campling Director of Customer Services volunteered for redundancy & will leave the authority on 31st December 2008. He will retain the title of Director of Customer Services until then.
Why is he allowed to volunteer for redundancy when none of the other employees have been offered it?
Perhaps the LET will look at why he is still being paid as a Director & under Freedom of Information establish how much redundancy payment & golden handshake he gets?..
Corruption.
Posted by: Transparency, Lancashire on 7:45pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Under FOI perhaps the LET can also establish the salaries of the other "Forgotten" Directors;
Director of ICT
Director of HR
Director of Financial Services
Director of Legal Services
Director of Programmes/Governanc
e
Director of Regeneration & Environment
Director of Customer Services (Redundant George)
Director Neighbourhoods & Customer Services
Strategic Director Neighbourhoods, Housing, & Customer Services (Ex Chief Super with LCC Police Pension)
Director of Policy/Communication
s
Director Adult Social Services
Director Culture, Leisure, Sport
Strategic Director Childrens Services
Chief Executive PCT
Director Public Health PCT
Under FOI perhaps the LET can also establish the salaries of the other "Forgotten" Directors;
Director of ICT
Director of HR
Director of Financial Services
Director of Legal Services
Director of Programmes/Governanc
e
Director of Regeneration & Environment
Director of Customer Services (Redundant George)
Director Neighbourhoods & Customer Services
Strategic Director Neighbourhoods, Housing, & Customer Services (Ex Chief Super with LCC Police Pension)
Director of Policy/Communication
s
Director Adult Social Services
Director Culture, Leisure, Sport
Strategic Director Childrens Services
Chief Executive PCT
Director Public Health PCT
Posted by: ytdfvki on 1:39am Sat 29 Mar 08
I want to know the work to leisure (golf etc...) ratio these leeches do.
I want to know the work to leisure (golf etc...) ratio these leeches do.
Posted by: Burnley, Burnley on 1:53pm Sat 29 Mar 08
You lot must think it's easy doing the job that these people do. They are directors and chief executives for a reason and deserve every penny. Do you really think that it's a nine to five job, five days a week?
You lot must think it's easy doing the job that these people do. They are directors and chief executives for a reason and deserve every penny. Do you really think that it's a nine to five job, five days a week?
Posted by: top cat, burnley on 5:48pm Sat 29 Mar 08
COMMENT ABOVE..ARE YOU ONE OF THE STUPIDLY OVERPAID DIRECTORS??THINK YOUVE GOT TO BE..
COMMENT ABOVE..ARE YOU ONE OF THE STUPIDLY OVERPAID DIRECTORS??THINK YOUVE GOT TO BE..
Posted by: Burnley, Burnley on 10:29pm Sat 29 Mar 08
Not at all. Don't even know any of them but you lot must be living in the clouds if you think that they just sit in an ivory tower all day long deciding who to get rid of. It's a bloody hard job, open to an awful lot of scrutiny (both internal and external). At the end of the day, they are just employees who happen to be nearer the top of the tree (work harder maybe?) than others who have commented on here.
Not at all. Don't even know any of them but you lot must be living in the clouds if you think that they just sit in an ivory tower all day long deciding who to get rid of. It's a bloody hard job, open to an awful lot of scrutiny (both internal and external). At the end of the day, they are just employees who happen to be nearer the top of the tree (work harder maybe?) than others who have commented on here.
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