A COUNCIL'S recent decision to create two new senior officer positions - costing taxpayers a combined total of almost £300,000 - has been described as a "slap in the face" for residents struggling with the cost of living.

Last week Caerphilly County Borough Council's cabinet approved plans to create new deputy chief executive and deputy section 151 finance officer roles.

At the time the authority's chief executive Christina Harrhy said the additional roles were needed for the council to achieve what’s being asked of it, and the current team is “tired, stretched and depleted”.

The cost of a deputy chief executive is estimated at £189,000 and the cost of a deputy section 151 finance officer - who would have responsibility for accounts, any unlawful financial activity involving the authority, and balancing the budget - is £108,000.

Although the cost of the new roles would be covered by re-purposing finance already allocated elsewhere, Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix described the decision as "extraordinary, and a slap in the face for the people of Caerphilly".

“Labour has tried to justify these appointments by arguing that the council’s top team is tired, stretched and depleted," he said. "We are all feeling tired, and stretched, but we knuckle down and get on with the job.”

The cabinet also agreed to create an internal recruitment team to tackle recruitment and retention challenges, at an estimated cost of £320,000.

Cllr Dix said: “The reality is that all Welsh councils have gone through Covid and are trying to get back on their feet, yet none have decided to double up on senior officer posts.

“The public are rightly outraged by these appointments, this is not the time for creating highly [paid] jobs, the council needs to work to preserve existing jobs and services – they can do this by investing the £620,000 back into front line services that have served us throughout the pandemic.

“However, it appears Labour likes creating highly-paid jobs for the few while the rest of us foot the bill.”

Plaid Cymru’s council group leader, Cllr Lindsay Whittle, also criticised the “fat salaries” given to the two new positions. He added that the council had its priorities all wrong.