Top council officials have been branded fat cats by the Labour Party after Tory councillors approved the biggest raise in years for an elite band of chief staff.

A week after rank and file council workers voted to strike over a three per cent pay offer, Labour councillors tabled a motion on Wednesday night condemning the 6.25 per cent average rise for more than 40 senior Wandsworth officers, including chief executive Gerald Jones.

The cost of the so-called "Hay Band" award, including pension and national insurance contributions, will total £278,501 this year - the equivalent of £1.10 on each Band D council tax bill.

The rise was not budgeted for as the financial year began, so the council will have to approve a hasty £121,650 budget variation.

The senior pay awards are calculated by linking salary boosts to those received by managers and directors in the private and voluntary sectors. This year's comparisons - by Hay Management Consultants - recommended an 8.21 per cent raise, but councillors baulked at going that far.

Defending the formula, deputy council leader Councillor Maurice said: "It's the market rate, isn't it?"

He added that matching private sector awards was necessary to retain good quality managers.

In a later statement, he wrote that "in every case salaries are linked to performance and productivity".

He added: "The council also makes provision for other key groups where it cannot afford to fall behind the market, including social workers, environmental health officers, engineers, lawyers and finance staff.

"This year's figure, while higher than that sought nationally by council staff, is below the increases paid to a number of trade union leaders."

Labour leader Councillor Tony Belton said: "The benefits should be spread more evenly. The lowest paid worker in the Town Hall gets just over £11,000. That's something like a 16-1 differential. Do Wandsworth residents really think it's justified?"

July 12, 2002 09:30