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Revealed: How much do Dundee City Council’s top earners get paid?

The top earners at Dundee City Council have been revealed
Dundee City Council needs to find £24m worth of savings.

A new report has revealed the top earners at Dundee City Council – giving locals an insight into how those who run key services are paid.

The council is required to make the salaries of its most senior staff members and councillors public each year.

The details have been released in a new report detailing council spending for 2021/22 up until March of this year.

Dundee council officials’ salaries revealed

The report shows that from the near-7,000 people employed by Dundee City Council, 425 earn above £50,000.

More than half of them earn between £50,000 and £54,999 – about £20,000 more than average full-time workers in Scotland.

Greg Colgan, the council’s chief executive and most senior member of staff, is the highest paid official – earning £160,087 in 2021/22.

Greg Colgan, the council's chief executive.
Greg Colgan, the council’s chief executive.

Mr Colgan was appointed as Dundee City Council chief executive in December 2020.

He earned £130,482 the previous year, most of which was spent working in a corporate services role for the local authority.

His current wage is almost the same as that paid to Nicola Sturgeon for being first minister at the Scottish Parliament.

Olympia chief among highest paid

Other officials at the council earning more than £100,000 include Leisure and Culture Dundee director Judy Dobbie, who was paid £108,739 last year.

She oversees services in the city including the beleaguered Olympia swimming pool.

Robert Emmott, executive director of corporate services, earned £122,433, while Robin Presswood, executive director of city development, drew a salary of £122,129.

Audrey May from the children and families service.
Audrey May from the children and families service.

Diane McCulloch, head of health and community care at the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, was paid £97,316, while Paul Clancy and Audrey May – the former and current executive directors of children and families – earned £101,807 and £37,091 respectively, with Ms May taking over the role in January this year.

The 2021/22 pay bill for eight senior officials occupying seven different roles at the council totalled £871,731.

How much your Dundee councillor earns

Elected members who are not part of the SNP administration – and do not have direct responsibility for delivering public services – earn a basic salary of £19,571 last year.

But members of the administration are given an enhanced salary.

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander
Council leader John Alexander.

City council leader John Alexander is the best-paid councillor, drawing annual pay of £37,213.

Conveners each earn just over £24,700, while depute conveners earn £20,930.

Conveners help to direct policy for council services such as environment, community safety and education.

The salaries of senior councillors and conveners of boards made up a total of £373,268, while for all councillors the bill came to £631,672.

How are salaries decided?

Senior council employees have their pay set through national agreements that determine the pay of chief executives and other directors at local authorities across Scotland.

Meanwhile councillors’ salaries are regulated by the Scottish Government.

The council is not allowed to have more than 15 senior councillors.

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