Inflation-busting pay rise will see Wolverhampton Council' chief's salary break the £200,000 barrier

Councillors will next week be asked to approve a pay deal which will see Tim Johnson's pay rise from its current banding of £167,143 - £178,152, to £190,000 - £210,000 - an increase of up to £31,848, or 17.9 per cent. 

The average salary in Wolverhampton is £30,768 per year, while the Prime Minister earns £172,153.

The proposals, which will go before Wednesday's meeting of the council, have angered Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the opposition Conservative group on the authority.

The report said Wolverhampton Council's executive salaries had fallen behind those of other similar authorities, and significant pay rises were necessary to retain important staff.

The authority commissioned a review of executive pay by consultancy firm Penna, which presented three possible options, which would see Mr Johnson's pay rise by 10.7 per cent under the least expensive scenario, to a maximum of 17.9 per cent in the costliest case.

The report recommended that councillors should approve the option which represented the biggest increase to the pay scale.

"This is in order to position the authority, so it reflects the market overall as well as recognises the way the post provides leadership both within the city and beyond," it said.

"It is also the option that best reflects the pay range for chief executive posts across the West Midlands Combined Authority members which, may be where the most attractive opportunities outside Wolverhampton become available for senior roles in future months and years."  

But Councillor Bennett said it was wrong to be awarding such a large pay rise at a time when the council was making major cuts.

"At a time when the council has got to save £3 million, and is already making extensive cutbacks, to all areas, including taking away tea and coffee machines, it's completely wrong that the chief executive, who is already on a very good salary, to be getting a pay rise of another £30,000 a year.

"Council services are stripped back to the bone, and a pay rise on this level to a senior officer of the council is entirely inappropriate, independent review or not."

Mr Pattison's report also said that it was increasingly important to have a chief executive with expertise in social care and economic growth as the council faced challenges in these areas.

"Even if the current chief executive were to leave, it is critical that the effort and focus on economic growth and social care and health is continued in order to achieve your vision," he wrote.

"Experience across all these areas is not yet common amongst senior officers, and our research shows that salaries for senior experts in economic growth and social care are rising rapidly, especially with competition from new bodies such as integrated care boards and combined authorities.

"This option is intended to give enough flexibility in the pay band so that there is no need to review the pay range in the short to medium term."