THE PAY of senior staff is in the spotlight again after Labour proposed recruiting a new high-earner to Thurrock council’s £100k club.
Recent figures from the Taxpayers’ Alliance showed that the number of staff receiving a six-figure sum from the council, increased 40% after Labour took over the council, costing over £2million in 2011-12. They are now proposing recruiting a new ‘Director of Environmental Services’, at a cost of roughly £130,000 including add-ons like pension contributions.
Conservative spokesman for Finance Cllr Barry Johnson said “The number of council top earners is spiralling upwards, whilst money available to the council is decreasing. Naturally, Labour have decided the best course of action going forward is to tax local residents more to pay for the latest £100k clubber.
“Thurrock should be reducing the top tier of management, and not filling vacant posts is the easiest way to do this. What money there is available in the environment budget would be better spent sorting out the bin collection mess, recruiting more Trading Standards officers, or ensuring a more prompt gritting service come winter.
“Hard pressed local residents will struggle to understand why we need to spend a six-figure sum on yet another person for the £100k club.”
Defending the decision, leader of Thurrock Council said: “As this is a role that has changed we needed to go through a rigorous evaluation process to ensure the salary is the right one.
“Unfortunately that process has not yet been completed.”
Why don’t they get one of the other part timers on £100k+ that are currently doing Barking abd Dagenham’s work for them to take it on.