Councillors to vote on �100k local authority salary packages

Executive local government pay came under scrutiny at last night’s Redbridge Council meeting as the impact of national legislation was debated.

The Localism Act 2011, brought in by the coalition government, calls on local authorities to be more accountable in setting pay.

As a result, Redbridge councillors will now vote on reward packages above �100,000.

Councillors also agreed to set up a pay committee to review salary expenditure at the Town Hall meeting in High Road, Ilford.

Cllr Ian Bond, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Roding ward and the cabinet member for resources, said: “That is a huge change and I think it will be a tremendous step forward.”

The council’s salary scales for 2012/13 were agreed by councillors.

Chief executive Roger Hampson currently earns �181,542, not including fees for occasional duties as a returning officer, which is 12 times more than the lowest council salary.

The lowest average Redbridge wage is �15,368, earned by five per cent of the workforce.

A council report said the authority was well within targets for fairness on local authority pay.

The government has said no senior employee should earn more than 20 times the lowest paid wage.

Council directors get a median average wage of �129,202 in Redbridge; chief officers �84,363 and the borough solicitor and secretary, �105,798.

Cllr Ali Hai, a Labour councillor for Goodmayes ward, said: “Is it fair that many [council employees] receive less than councillors get in allowances and less than the London Living Wage?”

Cllr Bond said: “The council is bringing in a single status pay structure which would have meant a four per cent wage increase for the lowest paid 20 per cent in the last two years.

“It is something we have to be aware of but we have to be aware of providing value for money for residents as well.”