Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Council chiefs rake in most cash in Scotland
Report states more than 20 earned six-figure sums
A new report claims more than 20 North Lanarkshire Council executives earned six- figure sums last year – the most of any Scottish local authority and the eighth highest of more than 400 across the UK.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance annual Town Hall Rich List states that 22 NLC employees received remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2015- 16 – with three of them among the top 25 local authority earners nationwide.
Former North Lanarkshire executive director of finance and customer services, Alistair Crichton, reportedly received £ 486,208 – the third highest remuneration package in the whole of the UK. Former executive director of housing and social work services, Duncan Mackay, was 16th on the UK’s top earners list, taking home a reputed £365,006; while former environmental services director Kenneth Wilson was 23rd, reportedly earning £342,839. The reported remuneration figures include salary, benefits, expenses, bonuses, redundancy payments and employer’s pension contributions, and according to TaxPayers’ Alliance chief executive John O’Connell raise “serious questions”. He said: “Despite many in the public sector facing a much-needed pay freeze to help bring the public finances under control, many town hall bosses are continuing to pocket huge remuneration packages, with the number of people on six-figure deals going up since last year.
“There are talented people in the public sector trying to deliver more for less, but the sheer scale of these packages raise serious questions about efficiency and priorities.”
However, North Lanarkshire Council chief executive Paul Jukes, who himself earned more than £135,000 last year, labelled the report “misleading”, and insisted last year’s reorganisation which saw a number of directors leave their posts would save cash in the long term. He said: “The figures published by the Taxpayers Alliance are simply misleading.
“No departing member of staff received the sums quoted in cash terms. In most cases, including that of the former executive director of finance and customer services, the bulk of the figure quoted forms the council’s contribution to the individual’s pension.
“Every employee who is a member of the pension scheme is entitled to the same percentage contribution and every member of staff who leaves, regardless of their seniority, is treated according to council policies.”
After becoming chief executive in October 2015, Mr Jukes embarked upon a restructuring programme that resulted in the loss of several senior roles.
The five executive director positions were scrapped and replaced by three assistant chief executives; while the total number of head of service posts reduced by two from 18 to 16.
He added: “The restructure substantially reduced the number of senior managers in the council and delivered an annual saving of more than £700,000.
“Many of those who retired were not replaced, with existing managers assuming additional responsibilities for no extra remuneration.”