Council Executives earn a combined £600,000

Research published by the Taxpayers' Alliance has revealed that Rochdale Council's five-strong Executive Leadership Team cost a total of £595,635 in salaries and expenses during 2007/8.

The response from Rochdale Council lists the Executive Leadership Team's salaries, excluding expenses, as:

Roger Ellis, Chief Executive: £137,148
Terry Piggott, Executive Director (Education); £117,180
Margaret Carney, Executive Director (Resources): £117,180
Andy Zuntz, Executive Director (Community Services): £111,597
John Patterson, Executive Director (Environment): £102,297.25

Comparable information for 2006/7 show salary increases of 3.1% for Terry Piggott, 2.5% for Roger Ellis, 2.6% for Margaret Carney, who has now left Rochdale Council to become Sefton Council's Chief Executive, and 4.7% for Andy Zuntz. John Patterson's salary decreased by 1.7%.

The Town Hall Rich List shows that 1,022 people in town halls now earn more than £100,000 a year, up 27% from 818 last year.

The wages of senior council staff have been criticised as workers in the private sector face the prospect of tough pay deals or unemployment in the current economic climate.

Maria Fort, Policy Analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: “The size of council executives’ pay and perks is staggering, and every year the cost continues to rise. The fact that executives who have overseen increases in council tax, cuts in services and major policy failures are getting ever more generously rewarded is frustrating for taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet.

"With bills rising and services stagnating, in too many town halls there is a culture of rewarding failure.

"Councils must start tightening their belts – we’re in a recession and many of these rewards are financially unsustainable and morally indefensible. Despite calls for transparency by all three major parties, and an obligation to come clean with taxpayers, many council executives are still secretive about their massive pay packets.”