‘Town hall rich list’ reveals £100,000 staff

THE WAGES of Oldham Council’s top-paid staff have been revealed — with one officer allegedly receiving a six figure pay-off for loss of office.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance’s Town Hall Rich List — detailing all those whose pay exceeds £100,000 — includes eight in Oldham paid a combined total of more than £1.2 million in 2009-10.

It includes an Executive Director who was allegedly paid £161,000 in 2009-10 — made up of £20,000 in salary, £138,000 compensation for loss of office and £3,000 pension contribution.

The council refused to comment on individual cases but the Chronicle understands the compensation figure is disputed and could be considerably less. The officer’s post was scrapped in a management restructure.

Oldham’s other six–figure earners, including pension contributions, are:

::Chief Executive Charlie Parker paid £213,000, including £12,294 as clerk to Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority.

::Executive Director for People, Communities and Society Veronica Jackson paid £160,000.

::Executive Director for Economy, Place and Skills Elaine McLean paid £156,000.

::Executive Director for Performance, Services and Capacity Emma Alexander paid £155,000.

::Assistant Chief Executive Carolyn Wilkins paid £147,000.

::Assistant Executive Director (chief education officer) Michael Jameson paid £116,000.

::Borough solicitor Paul Entwistle paid £104,000.

Veronica Jackson has now left, with her duties filled on an interim basis but her post not replaced.

The list also includes three executive directors, paid between £138,000 and £148,000 in 2008-09, whose posts were axed in a restructure.

The axe is hanging over 800 jobs to save £45 million over two years. The smaller management team is designed to save £2 million.

Emma Alexander, Executive Director for Performance, Services and Capacity, said: “The council believes it is right that residents can find out what our most senior managers earn. That’s why we publish a list detailing the salaries of all staff earning £100,000 or more.

“Salaries are set by a committee of elected members made up of all three group leaders and other senior councillors — not staff themselves — and are therefore subject to high-level democratic accountability. We have also reduced the number of senior directors from seven to four.

Nationally there were 2,295 council employees paid more than £100,000 in 2009-10, up 18 per cent on the previous year. The Alliance says that since it first published figures in 2007, the number of high-earning staff has soared despite budget cuts.