Council chief's pay tops £200,000
CITY council chief executive Kim Ryley's pay packet has topped the £200,000 mark.
One of the highest-paid chief executives in local government, Mr Ryley has seen his salary increase by £50,000 since coming to Hull almost six years ago.
During that time, the council has gone from being labelled the worst-performing local authority in the country to being judged a three-star performer by the Audit Commission.
However, criticism of his salary, which puts him in the top 15 highest-paid council chief executives in the country, has remained a constant feature of his time in Hull.
In 2006-07, he received a total of £213,162, although this included several one-off performance-related bonus pay awards.
Only last week Mr Ryley said the council could not continue with "unsustainable" redundancy pay deals for staff in the face of budget pressures at the Guildhall.
At the same time, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable called for top local government officer pay to be reined in.
Currently, local councils are only required to provide limited information on senior officer salaries in their annual reports.
A draft copy of the city council's annual statement of accounts for 2008-09 lists one unnamed officer on the highest remuneration pay band of between £200,000 and £209,000.
But in a direct response to a query by the Mail, the city council confirmed Mr Ryley's annual salary was £192,493 last year – an increase of £5,000 on the previous 12 months.
This was topped up with a further £10,815 payment from Government funds for his role as returning officer in last year's council elections.
The percentage increase in Mr Ryley's pay was 2.6 per cent. Other council workers' pay increases over the same period were 2.4 per cent.
Dave Mathieson, convenor for Unite union members at Hull City Council, said: "At a time when Mr Ryley is proposing to cut the wages or conditions of his staff, I think he should be doing the same with his own salary."
The city council's draft accounts for 2008-09 reveal there were 237 employees whose pay, excluding pension contributions, was £50,000 or more – an increase of 50 on the previous year.
Most of the new entries are included in the £50,000-£59,999 bracket and are believed to be senior teachers.
11 Comments
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by Shaun, Hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 10:24AM
“£10000 for a returning officer-not bad work if you can get it.”
by Outraged, Hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 10:22AM
“!!!!!!!!”
by Paul, Beverley
Thursday, July 09 2009, 9:58AM
“Sue - the top management team is where the big savings have just been made. The Chief Exec has just made major savings from that area.
It's a big job with a salary commensurate with the post.”
by Nelly, Sick of the crooks
Thursday, July 09 2009, 9:30AM
“£50,000 a year increase in six years !!!! some people only get that amount to manage on for six years...and still pay towards this parasites salary.”
by Steve, Hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 9:20AM
“The council has improved from the worst in th UK to just above the worst he should only get a bonus when the council reaches the number one position in the UK.”
by Steve, Hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 9:18AM
“He is worth every penny of his wages its just a shame we have to pay the pounds.”
by Richard, Hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 8:17AM
“As usual we see hypocritical behaviour from this man. I hope this will be used as a recruitment drive for the unions.”
by Sue, hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 7:57AM
“Not only are we paying for a chief exec, but also a deputy chief exec and an assistant chief exec, all on whacking great salaries - if the council wants to get rid of a layer of management (thanks Cllr Inglis, for suggesting that one and not having any socialist principles), why don't they look at the top structure?!”
by Disgruntled, Hull
Thursday, July 09 2009, 6:47AM
“Whilst Kim Ryley's vision and plans might have helped the Council improve, he couldn't have done it without all the hard work of Council employees - the very ones he is planning on making cuts for whilst enjoying his 2.6% wage rise and performance related bonuses! I can't see anything other than industrial action looming over the horizon Mr Ryley with demands that you quit your post because the truth is while you are so high up there with your head shoved up your own backside you won't know or even care about front line staff that represent the Council daily and do all the spadework.”
by PJM, East Riding
Thursday, July 09 2009, 6:25AM
“Senior public servants are grossly overpaid and overpension. This is a typical example. But when you have useless councillors with no experience of senior management with the private section what should we expect.”