Executive's pay tops local government rich list (From Western Telegraph)
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Executive's pay tops local government rich list
9:10am Saturday 5th May 2012 in News
Pembrokeshire County Council’s chief executive has topped a table of the highest paid local government officers in Wales.
Bryn Parry-Jones was paid £195,164 in 2010/11, according to the TaxPayers’ Alliance, making him the highest paid officer in Wales.
The figure includes pay, pension and benefits in kind and has increased by 2.7% since 2009/10, said the pressure group.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance ‘Town Hall Rich List’ also lists the total remuneration of the director of development, Dr Steven Jones who received £129,162, an increase of 3%.
The director of education and children’s services, Graham Longster is said to have received £111,471, a decrease of 12.4% and the director of finance and leisure Mark Lewis £129,587, a reduction of 1%.
The director of social services Jon Skone, who steps down in June, received £132,078, an increase of nearly 2% on the previous year and the director of transportation and environment Ian Westley was paid £129,836, according to the figures.
A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman said: “The taxable salary for Mr Bryn Parry- Jones for 2010 - 2011 was in the band £155,000 to £159,999 – the same as for 2009 - 2010.
“In fact, along with his directors, the chief executive has not received a salary increase for the past four years.
“The change in his total remuneration referred to in the TaxPayers’ Alliance report is the result of an incremental increase within his salary scale.”
He added that it should be noted that Pembrokeshire continues to have the lowest council tax in Wales and one of the lowest in the country with a Band D payment at £719.93.
The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) called the TaxPayers’ Alliance reporting “crude and simplistic” adding that the salaries are “entirely appropriate for the levels of responsibility attached to the most senior posts in local government”.
Comments(3)
Andrew Lye
says...
11:27am Sun 6 May 12
What about the many people in the County who havent had a pay rise for years, or even had pay cuts or worse still, lost their job?
There is no justification for such a salary in a County with a population of just 118,000 people.
Tina2
says...
3:48pm Thu 10 May 12
Tttoommy says...
11:33pm Sat 5 May 12
The United Kingdom has a population of around 63 million . Prime Minister David Cameron earns £142,500 ; his Cabinet Ministers earn £134,565 including an MP's salary of £65,738.
Therefore, by what sort of common logic should the top ten Chief Executives and other officers of Welsh Local Authorities , all with small populations , earn much more than the Prime Minister and UK Cabinet , with their huge work-load and vast responsibilities? It is absolutely scandalous ! The top ten in Wales earn between £159,263 and £195,164. How ridiculous is that ?
Welsh Local Authorities are ripping off their own council tax-payers, who have no choice in the matter. On top of that, they only work a five day week , with long holidays and extremely generous index-linked pensions for life ........all paid for by the hard-pressed Welsh public in a recession.
They defend these extortionate self-elected salaries by saying that they " are in charge of big businesses and responsible for managing budgets worth millions". What a joke ! They don't run competitive businesses in any shape or form !! The captains of private industry have to earn their companies' turnovers in the face of fierce competition from a myriad other companies.
A Local Authority Chief Executive does not even have to EARN that council's income. He/she receives cash on demand, from a captive.....very captive....market ,with no competition from anyone ......and no borrowing from banks !! What a DODDLE !! He/she only has to spend our money, not EARN it !! The cleverest part of business is to earn the money in the first place ...especially in a recession !! Lots of us can spend it ! Furthermore, I wager that over 90 per cent of a council's annual budget is already taken care of in advance , year on year, by essential expenditure on basic services.
Not only that ; once handed their lucrative over-paid jobs, these people are there for life !! Their "companies" can't go bust, because they have guaranteed incomes with absolutely no competition.
This is complete farce !! I suggest that when would-be County Councillors knock on your door shortly ,with that false Cheshire Cat smile to get your vote, that you demand that,if elected, they promise to try and reduce their council's executive pay by 30 per cent .
Make the candidate PROMISE...........th
en watch the big smile disappear !!!