Wigan Evening Post: Metro chief earns more than PM

By RIchard BEan
Eight Wigan council officials earn more than £100,000 a year– with the chief executive receiving more than the Prime Minister.
Wigan Metro boss Joyce Redfearn tops the local list with a salary of £191,557, making her one of 14 council employees in the country earning more than Gordon Brown who is paid £188,000 each year.

The rich-list, published by the TaxPayers Alliance (TPA) was obtained using Freedom of Information laws, and compares the salaries with the starting pay of a police officer (£20,000) and a soldier (£15,300).

Those who appear in both this year's Rich List and last year's enjoyed an average pay rise of 4.6% - more than double the government's target for public sector wage inflation.
The number of people featured on the list has risen from 645 last year to 818 this year - a rise of 27%, showing a boom in high salary executives.

The TPA reveal that Wigan council had eightstaff paid more than £100,000 per year in 2006 / 07. Chief executive Joyce Redfearn heads the roll call with a salary package of £191,557 including renumeration and fees as elections returning officer as well as clerk to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, a 21% increase on 2005/06

Recently retired deputy chief executive Frank Costello, who stepped down at Christmas received a 14% increase to give him a salary of £135,643, including election fees.

Director of finance David Smith received an 8.4% pay rise to £132,871 pa.

Director of adult services Bernard Walker received a 2.9% increase to £131,488

Former director of children and young people's services Ged Rowney's wage went up 6.8% to £126,995

Director of environmental services Martin Kimber received £117,019
Former executive director Bob Saunders received £110,174 including election fees

Director of legal services Susan Lowe was paid £107,007 including election fees.

The TPA, which publishes public sector salaries each year, claims the council executives are "too often" handsomely rewarded even when they fail.
But the Metro points out that senior officers at Wigan are responsible for managing a higher combined budget – £700m gross expenditure – than some FTSE 100 companies. And Wigan borough is consistently rated a top performer by independent experts.The council, with 10,500 employees, is also by far the largest employer in the borough.

The Alliance's chief executive Matthew Elliott said Wigan's 137,600 council tax payers had the right to know how much senior town hall officials were being paid.

A Metro spokesman said: "To attract the best and brightest people to deliver value for money you have to pay a competitive wage.
"When senior salaries in the private sector are compared to senior salaries in the public sector, the taxpayer gets good value for money.
"Wigan is one of a handful of councils in the country that has been consistently rated excellent or four star since the independent performance league tables were introduced over five years ago.

"The Audit Commission has reported that councils are delivering an ever better deal for taxpayers and local authorities already have the best track record on efficiency savings in the public sector."

The spokesman denied Mrs Redfearn had received a 21% increase. He said: "The figure for the 2005/6 salary they are basing it on wasn't a full year's salary. Joyce Redfearn only joined the council part way through that year, in May.