MP urges Labour group to reconsider chief exec pay rise

Simon Danczuk MP

Rochdale’s MP Simon Danczuk has called on his colleagues on the Council to use tonight’s Labour group meeting to drop what he called an “ill considered decision” to award massive pay rises to senior officers on Rochdale Council.

Warning that there is no appetite from the public for a 40 per cent pay rise for the chief executive, taking his salary to £170,000, and for other officers to receive similar eye watering rises, he said councillors needed to take stock of public opinion.

“There will be a backlash if councillors just ignore the public anger and award disproportionate and unjustified rises to senior officers at a time when care workers are on strike over wage cuts and many other workers are being asked to take on extra work for reduced pay,” he said.

He added that he was even more shocked to see the move being justified by traditional Old Labour socialists.

“Can they not see that this is rubbing salt into the wounds of workers who have lost their jobs and are seeing their pay frozen whilst taking on extra responsibilities due to colleagues being made redundant? It sends out a terrible message,” he said.

Admitting that the proposal had come as a shock to him, he said it was even more of a surprise given what the Council leader had said when the current chief executive was appointed.

Councillor Lambert told Rochdale Online at the time that Jim Taylor had been appointed on a lower salary than the previous chief executive, Roger Ellis, because “in effect they will be paid less but required to do more”.

He added that people had contacted his constituency and parliamentary offices to voice anger at the move, including a number of Labour members and local councillors.

“This is being rushed through at breakneck speed and I think councillors should pause and reflect on the damage this could do to the party before they proceed any further,” he said.

Rochdale Labour Group will be meeting this evening to discuss, among other things, pay rises for senior officers ahead of Wednesday’s Full Council meeting.