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| Council tax hikes 'fund fat cats' | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Council tax increases have been used to fund around 600 "fat cat" officials who each earned more than £100,000 last year, according to low tax campaigners. | Council tax increases have been used to fund around 600 "fat cat" officials who each earned more than £100,000 last year, according to low tax campaigners. |
| The Taxpayers' Alliance has produced a "rich list" of staff from councils including Kent, Wandsworth and Surrey. | The Taxpayers' Alliance has produced a "rich list" of staff from councils including Kent, Wandsworth and Surrey. |
| The Local Government Association said council salaries were "very good value for money". | The Local Government Association said council salaries were "very good value for money". |
| Local Government minister Phil Woolas warned that councils must ensure that their salaries were affordable. | Local Government minister Phil Woolas warned that councils must ensure that their salaries were affordable. |
| The number of staff whose pay packets topped the £100,000 mark increased by 35% last year, according to data obtained by the Taxpayers Alliance under the Freedom of Information Act. | The number of staff whose pay packets topped the £100,000 mark increased by 35% last year, according to data obtained by the Taxpayers Alliance under the Freedom of Information Act. |
| An 'insult' | An 'insult' |
| The highest earner in 2005-6 was Tom Scholes, chief executive of Renfrewshire Council in Scotland, who received £233,029 - although this included a £113,015 redundancy payment. | The highest earner in 2005-6 was Tom Scholes, chief executive of Renfrewshire Council in Scotland, who received £233,029 - although this included a £113,015 redundancy payment. |
| But the council issued a "categoric" denial that Mr Scholes had been the highest paid official. "The truth is that Mr Scholes was paid £123,264 in 2005-6 - a salary set inline with national agreements and comparable to similar-sized authorities," a spokesman said. | |
| It was also revealed that Kent chief executive Peter Gilroy - who earned £229,999 - followed by Wandsworth's chief executive and Director of Administration Gerald Jones on £227,424. | |
| The top 10 were paid more than Prime Minister Tony Blair's salary of £186,429. | The top 10 were paid more than Prime Minister Tony Blair's salary of £186,429. |
| The list, based on responses from 230 councils, gives details of the 578 employees who were paid more than £100,000 in 2005-6. | The list, based on responses from 230 councils, gives details of the 578 employees who were paid more than £100,000 in 2005-6. |
| Figures disclosed for the previous year show that only 429 people fell into that category. | Figures disclosed for the previous year show that only 429 people fell into that category. |
| The total wage bill for those on the list was £72 million - compared to £53 million for those in the same earning bracket in 2004-5. | The total wage bill for those on the list was £72 million - compared to £53 million for those in the same earning bracket in 2004-5. |
| 'Gold-plated salaries' | 'Gold-plated salaries' |
| Taxpayers' Alliance chairman Andrew Allum said: "Thousands of pensioners are having to choose between heating their homes and paying their council tax bills. | Taxpayers' Alliance chairman Andrew Allum said: "Thousands of pensioners are having to choose between heating their homes and paying their council tax bills. |
| "It's a complete insult to their dignity that so much of their money goes down the drain on top salaries for council staff. | "It's a complete insult to their dignity that so much of their money goes down the drain on top salaries for council staff. |
| "Town halls need to get a grip and cut back on gold-plated salaries, or they will find that council tax quickly becomes the new poll tax." | "Town halls need to get a grip and cut back on gold-plated salaries, or they will find that council tax quickly becomes the new poll tax." |
| In 2006-7 the average increase in council tax in England and Wales was 4.5%, and critics claim council tax levels have nearly doubled since Labour came to power in 1997. | In 2006-7 the average increase in council tax in England and Wales was 4.5%, and critics claim council tax levels have nearly doubled since Labour came to power in 1997. |
| A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents more than 400 councils in England and Wales, said: "The people who earn these salaries are responsible for multi-million pound budgets in highly complex organisations, and to attract the best and brightest people to deliver value for money you have to pay a suitable wage. | A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents more than 400 councils in England and Wales, said: "The people who earn these salaries are responsible for multi-million pound budgets in highly complex organisations, and to attract the best and brightest people to deliver value for money you have to pay a suitable wage. |
| "When senior salaries in the private sector are compared to senior salaries in the public sector, the taxpayer gets very good value for money." | "When senior salaries in the private sector are compared to senior salaries in the public sector, the taxpayer gets very good value for money." |
| 'Independently vetted' | 'Independently vetted' |
| Mr Woolas said: "Local authorities are responsible for managing their own pay arrangements, not central Government. | Mr Woolas said: "Local authorities are responsible for managing their own pay arrangements, not central Government. |
| "We expect them to ensure - like any public body - that these arrangements are affordable and deliver good value for money." | "We expect them to ensure - like any public body - that these arrangements are affordable and deliver good value for money." |
| He added that the Government had provided 10 successive years of above-inflation grant increases to local authorities. | He added that the Government had provided 10 successive years of above-inflation grant increases to local authorities. |
| Eric Pickles, the Conservatives' local government spokesman said: "Soaring local government salaries, combined with the cost of local government pensions, is one of the many drivers of soaring council taxes under Gordon Brown." | Eric Pickles, the Conservatives' local government spokesman said: "Soaring local government salaries, combined with the cost of local government pensions, is one of the many drivers of soaring council taxes under Gordon Brown." |
| Renfrewshire Council said Mr Scholes' salary of £123,264 was "in line with national agreements and comparable to similar-sized authorities". | Renfrewshire Council said Mr Scholes' salary of £123,264 was "in line with national agreements and comparable to similar-sized authorities". |
| Kent County Council its senior staff were paid "appropriate" salaries for their role in managing a local authority with a budget of more than £1.5 billion. | Kent County Council its senior staff were paid "appropriate" salaries for their role in managing a local authority with a budget of more than £1.5 billion. |
| Wandsworth Council said Mr Jones's salary was independently vetted by industry specialists. | Wandsworth Council said Mr Jones's salary was independently vetted by industry specialists. |
| During his 21 years in post he had helped to ensure that its bills had been the lowest in the country, said a spokesman. | During his 21 years in post he had helped to ensure that its bills had been the lowest in the country, said a spokesman. |