Courier's Fife Council wages investigation sparks furious clashes
Despite the onset of a crippling global recession, Fife Council's wage bill has rocketed by more than £46 million in just five years.
Figures obtained by The Courier using freedom of information legislation reveal that some local authority employees have seen their wages rise by almost 25% since the downturn.
Throughout the country thousands of jobs have been lost as businesses attempt to fend off the worst ravages of the recession. Public services in Fife have been severely affected and just last month there was huge controversy as swingeing cost-cutting measures prompted administration chiefs to sell off all local authority-run care homes.
The desperate bid to balance the books also saw the region's SNP-Lib Dem coalition outlining £11.3 million of new cuts. However, those within Fife Council's chief executive department have seen their wages rise from an average of £58,498 per person in 2005/06 to an inflation-busting £72,480 in 2009/10.
Figures unearthed by The Courier reveal that Fife Council's total wage bill for 2005/06 was £555,508,673. The figure was shared by 19,436 staff — meaning the average wage was £28,581. Some five years on, the total bill was £601,522,465 split between 19,202 staff — an average of £31,326 per employee.
While the average increase over the period comes in at 9.6%, the wages of the five people employed in the chief executive's department soared by 23.9%.
The council's chief executive — currently Ronnie Hinds — commands a higher salary than Prime Minister David Cameron. While the PM receives a basic wage of £142,500, Fife Council's chief executive trumps that figure, getting £149,946.
Opposition politicians have spoken of their anger following The Courier's probe, calling for authority bosses to provide "urgent answers."
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker branded the figures "baffling" and said local people "deserve better" and the council's Labour group leader Alex Rowley warned that the most vulnerable members of society were suffering while those at the top of the authority's pay scale enjoy huge increases.
But council depute leader Elizabeth Riches responded by accusing Mr Rowley of "ignoring facts" in a bid to score political points.
Ms Baker told The Courier, "The council's main focus should be local services not self-service. These figures will clearly anger and baffle many local people.
"It is unacceptable that while funding for care homes is being axed and scores of people are losing their jobs at the council, the highest paid are getting large wage increases. Fifers deserve better."
Mr Rowley was similarly scathing, saying The Courier's investigation proved that the highest earners should face significant cuts.
Continued...
07.02pm - 09.03.2011 Concerned - Fife, Fife Report This
The senior officers (top 4 levels) are on a different agreement from the other staff. They were given a massive increase some years ago to 'meet the market demands'. Since then I think ALL posts have been filled through internal promotions. So much for market level salaries!
01.19am - 10.03.2011 troughwatcher - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
I hope Mr Hinds enjoyed his lavish night out at the 5 star St Andrews hotel. Piped into the dining room, 4 course gourmet meal and fine wines with accompanying fiddle music. £500 a pop to council tax payers. You've got to ask how long people will put up with this abuse of our money.
11.52am - 10.03.2011 Mr Thomasson-Kay - Strathkinness, UK Report This
Utterly disgusting ! they should all take a massive paycut and protect services in Fife, not their cushy take home pay. None of these guys would last a day doing real work in the Private sector. I for 1 am fed up having NO ACCOUNTABILITY to these non elected officials, who milk cushy jobs
04.20pm - 10.03.2011 A Nonny Mouse - Dalgety Bay, UK Report This
It's really amazing how easy it is to twist statistics to suit your argument. The reporter completely "forgets" about the teachers' pay agreement and that of social workers in order to try to create his story. Have a go at the high earners, by all means, but leave those who really matter alone!
09.48pm - 10.03.2011 Anne Hinojosa - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
Ha ha...this is beautiful. Thank you Courier for some top class investigative journalism. I can't wait to see how the Council squirm out of this one!!!
08.49am - 11.03.2011 Stuff & Nonsense - Cupar, uk Report This
Perhaps Mr Lord would now like to release data of his and his colleagues' salaries - after all, those of us who buy "The Courier" are effectively paying him, so shouldn't we have the right to know?
11.08am - 11.03.2011 Anne Hinojosa - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
Difference is "stuff and nonsense", you don't have to buy the Courier if you don't want to (or can look at it online for free). Try not paying your taxes and see what happens!!!!!
02.32pm - 12.03.2011 Gordon Barlow - Lochgelly, Scotland Report This
It's bluntly wrong that the SNP/Lib Dem administration in Fife have provided only one justification for privatising the county's care homes. This was their justfication for their right-wing agenda, it allows them to slash the workers terms and conditions and their wages will also be affected. Last year in Fife, we had an administration that was defending executive position in the councils, through this they received an extra £52 per week, whilst service provision was being axed right across the board. Now, they are saying that public sector workers within Fife Council have a received “a good deal" completely ludicrous. Now they have the audacity & front to defend the excessive wages paid to senior officials. They say on the one hand that care home staff got a wonderful increase but they forget to mention one fundamental point, that they are privatising the care staff jobs because they say the staff get paid vast amounts of money. I believe that the actions of SNP & LIBERAL Councillors in Fife can only be described as gross hypocrisy and opportunism on their part.
02.14pm - 13.03.2011 wullie - Cupar, Scotland Report This
stuff and nonsense.. They can pay Courier reporters a million a year and I wouldn't give a monkeys. It's their money and they're paid from their profits so can spend it how they like. You're not threatened with prison for not buying a Courier unlike your tv or council tax.
08.40am - 14.03.2011 Mark Inch - Markinch, Scotland Report This
You might also want to check out how many of the Top Tier earners actually live permanently in Fife.
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