THE top boss at Renfrewshire Council earns in excess of £140,000 a year, figures have revealed, writes Jack Thomson

A Freedom of Information request showed four positions at the local authority have salaries of more than £100,000. 

Sandra Black, the council’s chief executive, is paid £141,802 for a role which involves the development of corporate policy, particularly in the areas of social inclusion, equalities, best value and efficient government. 

There are directors currently earning a salary of either £109,407 or £115,507 while an assistant director is paid just over £103,000 a year. 

Councillor Kenny MacLaren said the council has to offer salaries which are competitive to those given by other local authorities – or risk having their best staff poached. 

He said: “A good few years ago we put up the salaries for senior officers but the reason for that was we wanted to keep up with similar sized councils and we were getting officers poached. 

“Councils are competing with others councils for officers so salaries have developed that way but if we were to start with a blank piece of paper I’d like to see a wage cap.”

The council’s head of regeneration earns just over £97,000 a year, while the chief financial officer is on around £88,000. 

The head of marketing and communication role receives £86,556, while the salary for the head of policy and commissioning is £84,063.

The lower end of the pay scale includes a number of roles such as housekeeper, clerical assistant and bus escort. 

These jobs comprise a mix of work patterns and shifts but the full-time equivalent salary for a housekeeper doing 37 hours a week is £16,881.23.

The full-time equivalent salary for a clerical assistant and bus escort doing 35 hours a week is £15,968.73.

Renfrewshire Council is an accredited Living Wage employer.

Councillor MacLaren said it was his hope that a policy could be put in place, which would see a proportionate rise between roles at the lower and higher ends of the scale. 

He said: “I think if someone higher up gets a rise then there should be a proportionate rise at the lower end of the scale. 

“There shouldn’t be an ever widening gap between the lowest paid and the highest.”

A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “To ensure we can continue to create a thriving, ambitious Renfrewshire, it is important that staff in all positions have the necessary skills, experience and support to provide a high-quality service for our residents.

“As the largest employer in Renfrewshire, we value all our staff and we’re proud to be a Living Wage employer which ensures that all our staff, as well as our suppliers and contractors, are paid a fair wage for their work.”

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