Double standards

GEORGE Osborne’s “we’re all in this together” mantra does not appear to have been heard at Hambleton District Council in North Yorkshire where its chief executive – and five directors – can look forward to generous salary increases while their rank-and-file staff continue to endure a three-year pay freeze.

The perplexing decision is the culmination of a turbulent year at the town hall after its shared services arrangement with neighbouring Richmondshire District Council unravelled; the resignation of the former chief executive Peter Simpson and the decision of council leader Neville Huxtable to stand down.

Given these local difficulties are then compounded by the continuing spending squeeze, it is little wonder that councillors have felt the need to increase the pay of Phil Morton, the current chief executive, by 10 per cent to £110,000.

They clearly believe that it is a price worth paying if it means securing the services of the official best equipped to transform services in Hambleton. It could also be construed as a vote of confidence in the senior management, especially as each of Mr Morton’s five directors is to receive an increase of £4,500.

Yet, while the combined total of these salary rises only amounts to £32,500, they’re very difficult to defend when local authority workers have been denied such benevolence – and when so many families continue to face wage restraint because of the recession. Given the financial pressures that still exist, it might have been better for councillors to approve the pay rises – subject to Mr Morton and his colleagues meeting certain performance criteria.

At least local residents would then have some confidence that they were receiving some value for money.