Shropshire Council chief executive’s £47,000 pay increase is approved

Members of Shropshire Council met at Shirehall in Shrewsbury to approve a new, wide-ranging pay scale.

Clive Wright will see his salary rise £47,000, from £103,010 - with a performance-related bonus of up to 25 per cent and benefits - to £150,000.

Councillors also approved a pay rise for lower earning staff of between two and nine per cent.

Council leader Peter Nutting said: “We do value our employees. They are the best part of this organisation. We need them to be more highly skilled and trained so I think we should award them appropriately.

“The decision to cut pay a few years ago was the right decision but now things are getting better.”

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Roger Evans, put forward an amendment which would mean Mr Wright would only see an increase in line with everyone else.

“Everyone should be getting a pay increase,” he said.

“However, it should be proportionate. Why should the chief executive get a greater percentage rise than other staff? We value all staff.”

Councillor Hannah Fraser, who voted in favour of the idea, added: “The pay rise overall is very welcome. The hard work and enthusiasm of our staff absolutely should be awarded and I wholly applaud the step forward.

“However, I cannot support such a big pay increase for the chief executive and directors when others are only getting six or seven per cent.”

However, the amendment was thrown out by members who voted against it.

Councillor Nutting added: "The money we are talking about is not excessive. It is just putting us on an even keel and putting our senior staff where they belong."

He also said the increase would help breach the gender pay gap because the council employs more women than men.

The change had been suggested as part of measures to retain and attract staff.