UKIP MEP: How on earth did Rochdale Council come to the decision?

Paul Nuttall, UKIP’s Deputy Leader

Paul Nuttall, UKIP Rochdale MEP

How on earth did Rochdale Council come to the decision that whilst the authority is facing a cut of £45 million to local public services they should boost the pay of council Chief Executive, Jim Taylor, by a whopping £40,000 a year.

Jobs are being lost left, right and centre in Rochdale with another 150 workers facing the axe. Meanwhile many other council employees face seeing their meagre pay capped. Residents too are feeling the pinch with a 3.5% council tax hike this year.

I'm sorry, but the excuse given that Mr Taylor’s previous salary of only £130,000 was amongst the lowest in Greater Manchester simply does not wash with me. A 30% pay rise for an employee, who in my mind is already grotesquely overpaid, is nothing short of obscene especially when you consider that he will now receive a wage nearly £30,000 more than the Prime Minister.

Perhaps it is about time that there was a cap on the pay of council chief executives because it seems that even when budgets are tight, there always seems to be room to boost the pay of those at the very top.