Doncaster Star: 'Fat cats' in pay storm

By Martin Herron
DONCASTER Council was today at the centre of a fat-cat pay row after it emerged the authority jointly tops the South Yorkshire bosses pay league.
The authority pays five of its senior officers more than £100,000 - the same as Sheffield which has a larger population - according to figures released by the Taxpayers Alliance.

Until last year there were six in the borough on more than £100,000, but one of the posts was lost in a recent reorganisation.

No figures were available for Rotherham, but only two staff earn six figure salaries in neighbouring Barnsley.

According to the TA's figures, the £100,000 plus posts include that of managing director, currently held by Paul Hart, which in the year 2006-07 was worth £141,574. The strategic director neighbourhoods, communities and children's services was paid £106,179.

There were also three posts worth £103, 456 per year - strategic director for development; strategic director for organisation development and culture; and strategic director for policy, partnership and governance.Until last year there was a sixth post paid at over £100,000 - specialist director educational standards - but the post was deleted last April.

Councillor Tony Brown, the deputy leader of the Alliance of Independent Members, said: "Recently released figures show that the average wage in Doncaster has decreased by around £30 in the last year and the town still has one of the highest rates of people on benefits in the whole country.

"The fact that we've had more high earners on the council payroll than Sheffield really doesn't make sense to me.

"Of course you could argue that you have to pay these sorts of salaries to get the right people for the job - but in the case of these jobs I don't think the performance we're getting merits the huge wage."

Doncaster Council today defended its pay policy.

Kay Leigh, Director for Human Resources and Organisational Development said: "Doncaster's residents deserve the highest calibre of senior staff and to recruit and retain suitably qualified and experienced candidates to the biggest metropolitan borough in England, salaries of this level are necessary."