Cheshire East Council: Salary of £160k 'simply too low for new chief'

A starting salary of £160,000 is "simply too low" for a local authority chief executive, councillors have said.

Elected representatives on Cheshire East Council recommended the new salary band for their next chief executive should be between £170k and £190k.

The council is on the hunt for a new boss after current chief executive Dr Lorraine O'Donnell announced she was leaving.

Dr O'Donnell will head up Bradford Council from October.

Cheshire East's appointments committee had asked councillors to approve a pay band of £160k to £190k for Dr O'Donnell's successor.

But deputy council leader Craig Browne put forward an amendment upping the lower end of the band from £160k to £170k, arguing the council might not attract the right candidates if it did not increase its offer, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has said.

He said: "When we look at the table of salaries that chief executives across the country are paid, we find ourselves either in the lowest decile or in the bottom of the league."

He said neighbouring Cheshire West and Chester, which is a smaller authority, had just appointed a step-up candidate on just under £167k, "so that immediately tells me that £160k is simply too low a starting point for this position".

He feared if the lowest band level was £160k "some very good candidates may choose not to put their names forward".

The amendment to increase the lower end of the salary from £160k to £170k was carried by four votes to three.

But an amendment proposed by Conservative group leader Janet Clowes to increase the top end of the band from £190k to £200k was defeated.

She said someone stepping up would not be started off on £180k plus and it might not be the case a sideways candidate would be started on £200k but, she added: "For them to know the potential is there and if the head-hunters come round to know that the potential is there and there's a reason for staying, I think is a really important element."

Director of finance Alex Thompson told councillors a final recommendation would not be made to full council until the process was completed and no decision made earlier was absolutely final.

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