Council staff earn more than £100k

WAGES: Four senior workers were paid more than Prime Minister Theresa May

More than 30 Tayside and Fife council workers earned more than £100,000 last year, according to a “rich list” of top local authority earners.

Four on the top rung took home more than Prime Minister Theresa May and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as claimed by a “city hall rich list” compiled by the Taxpayers’ Alliance.

The 34 high-ranking individuals were among 228 Scottish executives to take home almost five times the national average of gross pay.

Fife Council said the lobby group’s figures were inaccurate for its highestpaid staff, with only seven of its 13 toppaid earners taking home more than £100,000.

The group’s method of calculating income includes expenses, election duty payments, employer pension contributions and other in-kind factors.

The alliance claimed six Dundee City Council chiefs earned more than £100,000, with seven in Angus, 13 in Fife, and eight in Perth – one post more than the year before.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said “Some residents have seen no drop-offs in the services they receive despite the necessary savings being made.

“But the Town Hall Rich List also allows residents to hold to account those who have overseen failing departments, or received bumper pay-offs after poor performance in the job. After all, power should be in the hands of those who pay, not those who spend.

Cash-strapped Angus Council has trimmed its second tier below the chief executive from three jobs to two, to save £140,000 from its wage bill.

Two heads of service, for human resources and regulatory and protective services, will share £23,000 in line with “increased areas of responsibility”.

Fife Council HR service manager Barbara Cooper said: “Salaries for council chief executives across Scotland are set by Cosla as part of a national collective agreement with the relevant trade unions and representative bodies.”

A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “The salary of senior employees is set by reference to national agreements.”

Perth and Kinross and Angus councils were unavailable for comment.