10pc rise for council chief under fire

UNION officials have condemned pay rises of up to 10 per cent which are being awarded to a Yorkshire council’s senior managers despite staff enduring a wage freeze for the last three years.

By The Newsroom

Published 13th Mar 2013, 00:01 BST

Hambleton District Council’s chief executive, Phil Morton, is in line for a 10 per cent increase in his salary which will take his annual earnings to £110,000. Five council directors are also set to be given two increases totalling £4,500 which will bring their annual salaries up to £70,000.

Unison officials said the move was undermining staff morale and it was “hard to justify” the pay rises amid swingeing council cuts.

Hambleton Council is having to slash its £9.6m revenue budget by as much as £3m over the next four years. But deputy leader Ron Kirk said the pay rises are needed to ensure that the best managers are overseeing the authority.

The council has endured the most turbulent period in its history as former chief executive, Peter Simpson, stood down and council leader Neville Huxtable announced his resignation.

Yorkshire UNISON