'Massive anger' as Caerphilly pay-rise deal costs £1.1m (From South Wales Argus)
Get involved: Send your photos, video, news & views by texting ARGUS NEWS to 80360 or email
us
'Massive anger' as Caerphilly pay-rise deal costs £1.1m
11:30am Thursday 24th January 2013 in Gwent news
PAY RISE ROW: Caerphilly council chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan
THE row over inflation-busting pay increases for Caerphilly council’s top officers rumbles on, with Plaid Cymru and Independent members lashing out despite a compromise being reached.
Independent Anne Blackman of Nelson, said council staff and constituents won’t forget the “catastrophic failure”, while Plaid said the taxpayer must not pick up the tab.
The issue has been hugely controversial, ever since it was made public that a special remuneration committee sanctioned rises of up to 20 per cent for the council’s top 16 officers in a behindclosed- doors meeting.
Chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan wrote the report recommending that his pay rise by as much as 20 per cent to £147,000. However, after this drew angry words from trade unions and led to a walk-out of staff, many of whom have had their pay frozen, a special full council meeting was arranged.
Labour members voted for a “compromise position”, where the chief executive’s pay would rise by four per cent to £137,000, with other senior staff keeping their rises, which weren’t as high.
Council leader Harry Andrews said: “This compromise will hopefully demonstrate to staff and the wider public that our determination to address this issue was sincere and that we value every single member of staff of this organisation.”
Cllr Blackman asked why details of the behind-closed-doors remuneration committee meeting were not given to other councillors.
She said if it had been, no rises would have been sanctioned.
Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru – who froze council tax when in power for two years – said the taxpayer must not pick up the bill for the compromise.
Group leader Colin Mann said the £1.1 million it will cost to pay the rises over the next four years is the equivalent of over 2p extra on council tax.
Cllr Mann said: “The chief executive will still receive a £100 a week rise. That is something that is still causing massive anger.”
Comments(14)
ham
says...
5:06pm Thu 24 Jan 13
gingertom
says...
5:12pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Nig
says...
5:54pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Nig
says...
5:55pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Nig
says...
5:59pm Thu 24 Jan 13
sillybilly43
says...
6:59pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Cwmderi wrote:Regarding the First minister, I e mailed him in the very beginning of this farce. I had an achknowlegment, and THAT WAS THAT!!!
If my maths are right, the £1.1million increases for the highest paid officers of the council will not cost council tax payers an extra 2p as in the report. It will actually cost us more than 2% on our council tax,
So if you are paying around £1,000 per year it is equal to paying an extra £20 per year on your council tax.
How on earth can the Leader of Caerphilly council, Councillor Harry Andrews claim that he "values every member of staff of this organisation" when around 9,000 of his workforce are on a three year pay freeze and the top 20 highest paid (Excluding Mr O'Sullivan) are still going to receive around 20% increase in their salaries.
Councillor Andrews and his Labour colleagues are now presiding over an absolute shambles and are rapidly turning Caerphilly into a laughing stock.
Where oh where is the First Minister and his team in Cardiff who are crying out for more funding from the London government when things like this are happening under his nose?
It stinks
DISGRACEFUL.. I am one of the fools who worked, saved and receive NO benefits. SO I resent paying 1 penny piece to the morons on the council
Davi
says...
8:38pm Thu 24 Jan 13
ham wrote:Don't talk such rot...the Labour Councillors have done nothing wrong, it was a Plaid Cymru Councillor and a few others who agreed to this behind closed doors..plus the Plaid Cymru Councillor has now been reported to the Ombudsman..get all your facts before you make such stupid comments..And as for Rhymney Valley there is no such Authority anymore but you sure as hell spent all our former Islwyn's money we were okay under Labour and will be niw and in the future..
well you could call the caerphilly group of labour councillors the real WELSH TORYS But alas they are known as the Rhymney valley Taffia cant wait for th enext elections they have had thier 2nd chance and have blown it earlier
ham
says...
12:24pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Davi wrote:Well Davi have you paid your labour dues?. Nice spin. I thought the main members on the committee that passed the pay rise where labour. Or is it you suffer from dementia. Don’t presume that I am from the Rhymney valley as I am not. As for the Labour members of the former Islwyn Why do they not stand up to the Rhymney labour group, get your head out of the sand And look at the wider picture labour and Plaid just as bad as each other, Party first electors well how worries about them Ho and I have just cancelled my political Dues paid by my union to the labour party after 52 years enough is enough
ham wrote: well you could call the caerphilly group of labour councillors the real WELSH TORYS But alas they are known as the Rhymney valley Taffia cant wait for th enext elections they have had thier 2nd chance and have blown it earlierDon't talk such rot...the Labour Councillors have done nothing wrong, it was a Plaid Cymru Councillor and a few others who agreed to this behind closed doors..plus the Plaid Cymru Councillor has now been reported to the Ombudsman..get all your facts before you make such stupid comments..And as for Rhymney Valley there is no such Authority anymore but you sure as hell spent all our former Islwyn's money we were okay under Labour and will be niw and in the future..
Cwmderi
says...
2:18pm Fri 25 Jan 13
The 4 Labour Cabinet Members who sat on the Secret Remuneration Sub Committee and voted in the huge salary increases for the senior managers were:
Cllr Gerald Jones (Deputy Leader) New Tredegar ward.
Cllr Keith Reynolds (Another Deputy) Aberbargoed ward.
Cllr Christine Forehead, St James ward, Caerphilly.
Cllr David Poole, Pengam ward (and former Officer of the council)
So yes, the Rhymney Valley Mafia is still alive and kicking the lower paid.
The other token member of the committee was Cllr James Fussell, Plaid Cymru, who did not support the increases.
So come on Davi & Nig, cut your twisted Labour spin. You and your colleagues have cocked it up big time and your belated apology does not wash with council tax payers.
A £1.1million share out amongst senior managers when 9,000 of your workers are in the middle of a pay freeze is hypocritical in the extreme.
ham
says...
2:49pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Nig
says...
4:32pm Fri 25 Jan 13
£ 2.3 million, only Plaid could sell an asset and not make any profit. Plaid the party that fails
gingertom
says...
4:57pm Fri 25 Jan 13
ham
says...
5:34pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Cwmderi says...
2:40pm Thu 24 Jan 13
So if you are paying around £1,000 per year it is equal to paying an extra £20 per year on your council tax.
How on earth can the Leader of Caerphilly council, Councillor Harry Andrews claim that he "values every member of staff of this organisation" when around 9,000 of his workforce are on a three year pay freeze and the top 20 highest paid (Excluding Mr O'Sullivan) are still going to receive around 20% increase in their salaries.
Councillor Andrews and his Labour colleagues are now presiding over an absolute shambles and are rapidly turning Caerphilly into a laughing stock.
Where oh where is the First Minister and his team in Cardiff who are crying out for more funding from the London government when things like this are happening under his nose?
It stinks