Top Officers’ Salaries
The fiasco over the unacceptable pay hike at Caerphilly council, which caused such public outrage, showed action was desperately needed to stem unacceptable excesses.
The decision to award the rises to chief officers, which was ruled unlawful, caused huge damage to the council’s reputation and the ramifications of this episode are still being felt with a police investigation continuing.
Council workers were rightly furious that these increases were given to the chief executive and others while they were on a three-year pay freeze.
My fellow Plaid Cymru AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas has been pressing the Welsh Government hard to take action to prevent the Caerphilly fiasco happening elsewhere. But until last week there was a reluctance from the Local Government Minister to act. She was in denial that spiralling pay at the top in local authorities was a problem.
But I’m pleased that the Welsh Government has done a U-turn and will ensure that chief executive pay will be referred to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
As a result Plaid will withdraw an amendment it tabled and support the Government’s own amendment when the issue comes before the National Assembly next Tuesday.
The amendment will bring in a new layer of accountability for salaries that are being awarded and Plaid is willing to give the new system a chance to succeed. Bu if the situation continues to spiral out of control, we will bring forward new proposals in the future.
The amendment means that local authorities considering any contract for a new chief executive, or where a pay award is proposed, will have to take regard of a recommendation of the Independent Panel – except if it is in line with changes affecting other administrative staff generally. Recommendations will also have to be approved by full council in public.
Caerphilly Grammer
I’m pleased to have been appointed to the committee of Caerphilly Grammar School Old Boys’ Association, which holds an always well attended annual dinner and is the biggest organisation of its type in Wales, Membership is open to pupils who attended the school before St Martin’s Comprehensive was established in the 1970s.
This pay rise was awarded under Lindsay Whittle. How about this for hypocrisy!!!!
http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/news/4375/cae…
THIS IS TAKEN FROM A REPORT IN SEPTEMBER 2010:
"A report drawn up by chief executive designate Anthony O’Sullivan, who replaces outgoing boss Stuart Rosser, recommended the pay rise.
Council leader Lindsay Whittle told the Echo that deputy chief executive Nigel Barnett had been given the rise because of extra responsibilities given to him because of a management re-structure."
The current situation, which appears to be the second raid on the public purse by the now suspended Chief Executive and the support of that hike in pay by the then Leader of the council, Councillor, and AM Lindsay Whittle, seems to demonstrate what we all already know, and that is that local politics stinks, but, thank god there are still some exceptions to that rule, where they are in Caerphilly council Officers no-one knows, but it will soon remain to be seen when the Avon and Somerset Police complete their investigations, perhaps it will encompass the last pay hikes in 2010 and summerised above.
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I live on a small wage and when i ask the Conucil for help with my rent i was told to look for a smaller flat but the councillors vot for big pay raise and this was done and awarded under Lindsay Whittle have you seen what he get paid for what….there should be a new vote get him as a AM out ….
whatever you right on he is taken off if Lindsay whittle dont like it and this newspaper dont like what you have put on so i say to lindsay and the news paper bull s**t