The local weekly newspaper contacted me yesterday ( Friday) afternoon to ask if I would make a statement in my role as Leader of the Lib Dem Opposition at Teignbridge regarding the rise in the Chief Executive Officers pay.
Apparently last year she received £126,097 and this year it rises to £141,972. These figures include all the “extras”. Her basic salary is approx £104,000 rising this year to approx. £118,000.
These figures are in the public domain and can be found on line in the Teignbridge Council Annual Statement of Accounts, which went through Full Council unannounced or explained by the Conservative controlling group. I do not know of course if many of them were actually aware of these figures, after all they were tucked away deep in a document of 100 pages or more. I understand this is a pay rise of more than 12 %.
How can this possibly be justified? Pay restraint has been applied in large measure to doctors, nurses, the police, school teachers ( and incidentally councillors, though I make no claims that they matter!) and yet the Teignbridge CEO gets more than 12%? Who can begin to justify that? Not me! I am sure the officer in question does a quite outstanding job, with a high public profile, but 12% plus pay rise? I don’t think so.
What message does it send to those in our communities who are suffering not only pay restraint, but the full impact of rapidly declining public services? Care Homes closing; Youth Services greatly reduced; bus subsidies hugely down; grass verges not cut; litter worse than ever,and don’t get me started on potholes and the condition of our roads and yet the CEO gets a 12% pay rise.
As Leader of the Opposition I cannot alter or influence such events, that is down entirely to the Conservative administration, but this I tell you, it would not be happening if I were running the ship!!! Different Party; Different Priorities!!!