The Lib Dem group on the County Council are concerned that the number of Essex County Council staff paid ?80,000 and over has jumped by three-quarters in a year.
At the County Council budget meeting yesterday (Feb 7th) , Tim Smith-Hughes, the leader of the opposition, said:
?At a time when most people?s pay is fairly static, residents and council taxpayers will be amazed to find out that over the 12 months to March 2011* the number of County Council staff, excluding school staff, paid ?80,000 or more rose by an astonishing 76% from 59 to 104. The County Council have been reducing the number of layers of management, but when over 1,000 jobs have gone just during 2010 / 11 and the first three-quarters of 2012, with the prospect of more, such a rise in highly paid staff is unacceptable.
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The County Council claims it needs to pay more to attract and retain high performing employees. Whilst some small increase may be acceptable to attract some employees with particular skills, such a large rise in staff paid ?80,000 and above in just one year is truly shocking, not acceptable and will not find favour with most County Council staff and council taxpayers.?*Source: Essex County Council?s Statement of Accounts 2010 / 11.