Liverpool Daily Post: Top brass get lower rises than others, report says

by David Bartlett

MERSEYSIDE councils have rewarded their chief executives with pay rises generally lower than the national average, latest figures reveal.

An Audit Commission report shows the salaries of senior Town Hall executives across the UK have risen at a faster rate than in the private sector and other public bodies since 2003 partly because of a high turnover rate.

The commission said basic salary levels for chief execu-tives in large local authorities, which includes all in Mersey-side, had risen by an average of 34%. The average salary for chief executives of large authorities is now £150,000.

Locally, Liverpool chief exe-cutive Colin Hilton tops the list earning around £220,000 a year.

The position has seen a rise of between 21% and 22% since 2003/04, when pay stood at around £180,000, and Sir David Henshaw held the position.

Graham Haywood in Sefton has seen the highest rise, of between 36% and 40%, bringing his earnings to between £140,000 and £149,999.

The Audit Commission also highlighted the cost of recruitment and expensive severance packages that local authorities often pay.

This is exemplified in the pay of former Liverpool Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow, who took home between £370,000 and £379,999 in the 2007/08 financial year.

That figure included his £230,000 pay-off and his normal salary payments for his £150,000-a-year post.

Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles said: “Local taxpayers will be very concerned that their council tax bills are being pushed up by unjustified rises in town hall pay.”

He said that people were paying more and getting less.

Last night a Liverpool city council spokesman said: “The chief executive’s salary is set following independent expert advice to ensure we attract and retain the best possible people with the exceptional skills and experience needed for this hugely important post.”

Knowsley Council refused to declare what the top salary band was last year as chief executive Sheena Ramsey was away. The £178,482 figure was from 2006/ 07 figures previously supplied to the Tax Payers Alliance.

Halton Council would only provide the figure from the 2006/07 Statement of Acc-ounts which showed one per-son was paid over £100,000.