Councillors have agreed to recruit a new chief executive on a reduced salary, after the previous boss was sacked over claims relating to pay rises given to himself and others.
Caerphilly County Borough Council has agreed to start recruitment of a permanent chief executive, following the dismissal of Anthony O’ Sullivan last month.
But a recommendation from council officers to recruit a new boss with a salary range starting from £151,262, and rising to £168,069, was dismissed by councillors at a full council meeting on Tuesday.
Instead an amendment put forward by new council leader, Cllr Philippa Marsden, for the salary to be set at a flat rate of £140,000 was supported.
“During austere times it is important the balance is struck between the level of salary set and our desire to attract the highest calibre of candidates,” Cllr Marsden said.
The current salary of the interim chief executive is £143,949.
However council officers said this salary does not take account of national pay awards in 2016 and 2018, which would have increased the starting point to £151,262.
The amended salary, which will need to be approved by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, will also see all future nationally agreed pay rises automatically awarded.
Cllr Jamie Pritchard was among those supporting the plan to reduce the salary.
“I would put it to anybody that reducing the salary of the very highest paid officer is the right thing to do, especially in these very difficult times,” he said.
Leader of the council’s Plaid Cymru group, Cllr Colin Mann, said the new chief executive should be chosen by an appointments panel to avoid the ‘lottery’ of selection by full council.
“This council could have avoided seven years of chaos had the last appointment been done differently,” he said.
However Rob Tranter, head of legal services and monitoring, said the council’s constitution states the appointment of the chief executive is to be made by full council, and the shortlist by an appointments panel.
Cllr Kevin Etheridge, leader of the Independent group, said councillors “must have a say” on the decision.
Cllr Marsden said the recruitment of a new chief executive is a “key moment” in the council’s development and something she is “determined to get right” as new leader.
Councillors agreed to dismiss former chief executive, Mr O’Sullivan, last month after “serious allegations of gross misconduct” were proven – a decision he intends to appeal against.