EX-CHIEF EXECUTIVE TOPS EXPENSES LIST
Chief executive claimed £38k in year that he quit...
THE former chief executive of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council claimed £38,043 expenses during the last financial year, which according to figures released by the Taxpayers Alliance, was the highest in the UK.
Figures show during the 2019/2020 financial year Mr Baker, who was joint chief executive officer at Staffordshire Moorlands and High Peak Borough Council, was paid £153,975 basic, plus a pension contribution of £25,854 which made a total package of £217,872 for the year.
Mr Baker and assistant chief executive Mary Walker both suddenly left the council in March 2020.
Calls were made at the time for an urgent extraordinary meeting of the Conservativeled District Council, so that its members could be fully appraised of the situation and that the people of the Staffordshire Moorlands were informed of the reasons they had left.
However, mystery still surrounds why they suddenly left the authority without serving any notice period.
Figures released by the Taxpayers Alliance said that total expenses paid to senior employees in the UK amounted to £1,274,497, with the highest amount (£38,043) being claimed by Simon Baker.
Opposition leader on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Councillor Mike Gledhill, said: “The information from the Taxpayers Alliance Survey of Local Government chief executives expenses in 2019-20 puts the former CEO of Staffordshire Moorlands, Simon Baker, at the top of the UK list with his expenses amounting to £38.043. In contrast, in 201819, according to The Taxpayers Alliance survey, he claimed £13,749.
“In putting Mr Baker at the top of the national list for expenses, the Taxpayers Alliance list does not take into account that the £38,043 is shared between the two councils of High Peak and Staffordshire
Moorlands, as he was CEO of both councils, but it does raise an important issue
“There are key questions to be answered, specifically what caused this apparent increase of nearly £25,000 in the claim for 2019-20, his last year in post, as it turned out.
“This new development raises a further dimension following Mr Baker’s departure over a year ago.
“There may be a reasonable explanation. If so, this should be disclosed at the earliest opportunity.”
John O’connell, chief executive of the Taxpayers Alliance, said: “Taxpayers facing huge and hated council tax rises want to know they are getting value for money from their local authority leadership.
“At the onset of the coronavirus crisis, thousands of town hall officials were taking home huge sums. While councils were plunged into tackling the pandemic, many staff will have more than earned their keep, but households have nevertheless struggled with enormous and unpopular council tax rises.
“These figures shine a light on the town hall bosses who’ve got it right, and will enable residents to hold those who aren’t delivering value for money to account.”
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council said: “The figure quoted in relation to expenses also includes elections payments for both Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and High Peak Borough Council which have operated as a Strategic Alliance for over a decade. “In 2019/20 this included payments for the district, borough and parish council elections, the European election and the General election in both Council areas.
“Under the Alliance, both councils share resources including staff, costs and efficiencies which have achieved savings for council tax payers of over £8m through a programme of service transformation, joint procurement and other efficiencies.
“We’ve delivered these savings whilst protecting the services our communities rely on.
“We will continue to take a pro-active approach to identifying and implementing further ways to ensure we are using our resources efficiently and to best effect as we continue to support our communities through the pandemic and recovery whilst maintaining ‘business as usual’ services.”
Figures also show that the joint executive director and chief financial officer at SMDC and High Peak Borough Council was paid a package of £159,029 for the last financial year. This included a basic of £127,720 plus a pension contribution of £21,202 and expenses of £10,107.
The chief monitoring officer was paid a total package of £146,799 which included a basic of £122.075; pension contribution of £20,264 and expenses of £4,460.