Council in jobs threatoffers post at £90,000

A COUNCIL is recruiting a new human resources chief on nearly 90,000 a year, while asking other employees to consider voluntary redundancy.

Hull Council said the post is needed to guide it through a “challenging” period for industrial relations, which unions claim is a massive programme of job cuts.

The authority is seeking a head of human resources to work a 37-hour week on a salary of 87,210.

In its advert, the council says the successful candidate will be “helping us make the best possible use of our people, leading an industrial relations agenda at a time of significant challenge.”

The opposition Labour group leader at the Liberal Democrat-run council, Coun Steve Brady, said: “We need to think very carefully about any appointment we make and certainly those sorts of figures lead the public to believe it’s one law for one and one law for another.

“Serious questions have to be asked about how these appointments will look right across the authority.”

The lead negotiator for the Unison union at the council, Adrian Kennett, said the role was primarily about delivering job cuts. “The bottom line is they want someone to oversee it all.” He added: “It comes at a time when they are attacking our members terms and conditions – it’s outrageous.”

Last week, the council invited thousands of workers to consider taking voluntary redundancy ahead of expected funding cuts under the Government’s public spending review.

The “voluntary early termination programme” applies to 7,482 staff.

A council spokeswoman said last night: “At this current time with the financial pressures and issues we like all other public sector organisations face, we see this role as being critical in helping the council make the best possible use of our people and to take the lead on working with our trade union colleagues, responding to the challenges ahead as we strive to offer our communities the best possible services for the future.”

Comment: Page 10.