Council boss agrees to a 7.5% pay cut amid cost-savings

A COUNCIL chief executive is to take a 7.5 per cent pay cut and a third of his senior managers are facing the axe under drastic cost-cutting plans.

But families across the Moorlands were today reassured frontline services, such as bin collections, street cleaning, housing, leisure centres and parks, will be protected.

The budget proposals have been drawn up by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council as it grapples with having to find �3.5 million of savings over the next three years.

Steps will include cutting the overall number of senior management posts across the council and its partner authority, High Peak Borough Council, in Derbyshire, from 90 to 60.

There will be a freeze on performance-related pay bonuses and chief executive Simon Baker, who currently earns more than �150,000, is understood to have agreed to a 7.5 per cent pay cut.

As well as voluntary redundancies, the authority has revealed there are likely to be a "limited number" of compulsory job losses.

It is currently consulting with unions.

Other areas which will be hit include discretionary services, such as promotional work for the arts, sport and health.

But some council activities, like commercial street collections, could be increased and run as money-spinning businesses in future.

Councillor Gill Heath, portfolio holder for finance and resources, said: "We want to reassure the public we are committed to maintaining frontline services and keeping council tax down."

She said significant savings would come from more shared work with High Peak.

They already share some senior staff, including Mr Baker, and support services like IT systems.

Mrs Heath said: "The alliance has already saved us �1.4 million and will save a further �1 million in the new financial year, while allowing us to continue delivering high-quality services.

But opposition politicians claim the changes, including the staff restructuring, are being pushed through without proper consultation.

Councillor Linda Malyon, of the Moorlands Democratic Alliance, said: "I'm very worried about what's happening.

"Nothing should be rushed through when we are talking about people's lives.

"I'm concerned they have already decided things before it's gone through scrutiny."

But Mrs Malyon welcomed the chief executive's salary cut, saying it sent out the right message to the public.

She said: "He should take a severe pay cut, but I would like to see the detail of what effect that has on things like pensions. His basic salary does not include other allowances."

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