Stockton’s Labour Council have announced plans to recruit another ‘Director’ despite already coming under criticism for employing too many people on £100,000+ wages.
A Taxpayer’s Alliance report found the authority is a big spender when it comes to management wages, paying more £100,000+ wages than other authorities across Teesside and Durham.
Now the authority is looking to recruit another Director for its ‘Senior Corporate Management Team’.
Currently, Directors at the Authority are paid between £161,385 and £124,520 per annum and less than a year ago the authority paid out £333,000 in redundancy costs during a management reorganisation, supposed to deliver long term savings.
After the announced need for another Director, the Authority has become subject to much criticism.
This has been magnified as it follows recent local elections which saw huge debate about the council’s bloated management costs and the fact residents had been subjected to some of the largest council tax increases in the country.
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:
“Taxpayers are bound to question whether another six-figure role can be justified.
“With budgets stretched, residents want to see their hard-earned money funding efficient services, not bloated senior management.
“All local authorities should strive to keep costs down for households, starting with executive pay bills.”
Opposition Leader Tony Riordan said:
“On learning of the Labour Cabinet's decision to recruit another director on a huge taxpayer funded salary I requested that the decision be called in for scrutiny by councillors. This was rejected by the Labour led council.
“Only last year this Labour led council promised to reduce the spending of taxpayer's money on senior management salaries.
“It appears that every couple of years this Labour led council make promises to cut spending on senior management salaries, only to perform the expected U turn a short while later.
“Members were informed at the last U turn that the increased salaries for the Chief officer and directors were to reflect their broader remits.
“With the recruitment of a new director their remits will be narrowed, the question from many, will the salaries of the senior management team be reduced to reflect their narrower remit.”
