Harlow Council Senior Management Salary Levels
| Post |
Salary Level |
| Chief Executive |
£131,141 - £141,279
Salary at 1 April 2011
£141,279
|
| Chief Operating Officer |
£94,520 to £104,658 |
| Assistant Chief Executive |
£77,049 to £87,187 |
| Heads of Service |
£65,897 to £76,035 |
These posts do not receive any performance related bonuses,
benefits in kind or overtime payments. A separate car allowance for
the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer is no longer
paid.
In addition the Chief Executive receives a payment as Returning
Officer which varies according to the elections taking place.
These salaries were agreed as part of a Senior Management Review
carried out in December 2008
None of these salaries were increased as a result of any
nationally negotiated pay settlement for 2009/10 or 2010/11. They
will also not increase in 2011/12.
The Senior Management Review was carried out by the Council and
agreed by the Council’s Policy & Resources Committee in
December 2008. The new salaries agreed as part of the review came
into effect on 1 April 2009. Overall the review saved the Council
more than £20,000 by reducing the number of senior management
posts.
Councillor Andrew Johnson, Leader of the Council, said: "When we
looked at the pay of Chief Executives for 14 neighbouring District
Councils, Harlow's Chief Executive's pay was second from the bottom
of the list of salaries, which ranged from £92K to £162K. The new
salary from April 2009 still only puts it into the average salary
bracket for this type of job.
“There is a huge difference between the pay of senior public and
private sector employees managing similar budgets and
responsibilities - this difference is sometimes hundreds of
thousands of pounds as there is significant use of bonuses in the
private sector. Council Chief Executives are capable of earning far
more in other sectors, indeed many have come from successful
private sector careers previously, but they choose to work with the
community because of the interest and challenge it presents.
"On his arrival in Harlow, our own Chief Executive worked with
Councillors to take Harlow from a poorly performing authority to
one rated good by the Government's Audit Commission. It took just
three years and this has made a positive difference to the lives of
many people. This involved difficult decisions, strong leadership
and a personal commitment that was not reflected in the salary at
the time."
The Council has met all of its efficiency gain targets and
despite successive challenging Local Government settlements has
kept its part of the Council Tax at the same level for the last two
years. Similarly the Council's part of the Council Tax has
increased by less than inflation in three of the four years prior
to the Council Tax freeze.
The salaries of all Harlow Council staff have been reduced by
1.3% from 1 April 2011.