Will Carolyn cut the big earners?

Carolyn Wilkins

A TOTAL of 2,181 council staff across the country — including nine in Oldham — earned more than £100,000 last year.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance has released a list of the top local authority earners for 2012/13.

Nationally, the number of employees earning in excess of £100,000 has fallen by 5 per cent from 2011/12 but 93 councils have increased the number earning more than £100,000.

When the figures were collated in Oldham, the chief executive’s (Carolyn Wilkins) total package was £219,000, the executive director of neighbourhoods (Elaine McLean) was £161,000, the executive director of commercial services (Emma Alexander) was £155,000, the deputy chief executive (now vacant) was £152,000, the executive director of commissioning (now vacant) £135,000, the borough treasurer and chief financial officer (now vacant) was £117,000, the chief of staff (Mark Reynolds) was £111,000, the borough solicitor and monitoring officer (Paul Entwistle) was £109,000 and the director of adult social services (Paul Cassidy) was £105,000.

In the North-West, 237 employees receive in excess of £100,000, 56 in excess of £150,000 and five in excess of £250,000.

Knowsley, Warrington and Cheshire West and Chester councils had the highest number of employees earning more than £100,000 with 15 each.

The biggest local authority salary in the region is £417,187 for the acting director of community services at Liverpool Council.
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