‘Shock’ as council wages are revealed

Published: 17 June 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

CAMDEN Council’s chief executive Moira Gibb has collected a £15,997 performance bonus on top of her £199,961 salary.

This is the first time the New Journal has been able to publish the fine details of her pay package and “performance award” after the information was finally revealed on the council’s website.

The amounts paid to directors and other senior officers were also made available as the new Labour council claimed to be ushering in a new era of openness.

Finance chief Councillor Theo Blackwell said there are plans to publish every bit of council expenditure over £500 in future months – a level of financial transparency that is rarely seen at any government level.

In the past, chief officer pay was kept secret with only rough boundaries of possible salaries made available to the public.

The amount of money spent on chief officer pay is £2.77million. That is down from the £3.1m the previous year, but still means Ms Gibb is paid close to 12 times as much as the lowest paid at the council.

George Binette, branch secretary of Camden Unison, said: “A lot of people who are ordinarily very passive were quite shocked when they saw the salaries and particularly the bonuses.”

Mr Binette said council workers would effectively see their pay cut this year because wages are set to be frozen at the same time as inflation increases.

Conservative acting leader Councillor Andrew Mennear said: “I am personally glad they are published but this shouldn’t be just about Moira’s salary. Public sector pay at this level has shot up disproportionately.”

The table published online shows the 2010/11 environment director Rachel Stopard as the next highest paid. She received £154,010 plus a £10,621 bonus. Finance director Mike O’Donnell collected £150,535 plus a £10,280 bonus.

Cllr Blackwell added: “We are happy to have a more open culture about  finances but this isn’t a magic wand. We still have to scrutinise where we get value for money. This is just one step forward but we will be moving towards a more transparent council.”