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| List reveals top council earners | List reveals top council earners |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 15 councils in Wales pay their senior staff more than £100,000 a year according to a "rich list" by campaign group Taxpayers Allowance (TPA). | |
| The survey claimed Cardiff Council paid the most in 2006-7 for its chief executive Byron Davies £151,186. | |
| Blaenau Gwent and Anglesey were the only authorities found not to pay any staff more than £100,000 a year. | Blaenau Gwent and Anglesey were the only authorities found not to pay any staff more than £100,000 a year. |
| CBI Wales said it did not think the salaries were excessive provided they were linked to performance. | CBI Wales said it did not think the salaries were excessive provided they were linked to performance. |
| The UK-wide survey is part of the TPA's campaign for lower council taxes. Councils have been asked for comment. | The UK-wide survey is part of the TPA's campaign for lower council taxes. Councils have been asked for comment. |
| According to the TPA, Carmarthenshire Council are the second highest payers in Wales after chief executive Mark James received a total of £148,867 in 2006-7. | According to the TPA, Carmarthenshire Council are the second highest payers in Wales after chief executive Mark James received a total of £148,867 in 2006-7. |
| Merthyr Tydfil was third after paying its chief executive Alistair Neill £131,476 over the same period. | Merthyr Tydfil was third after paying its chief executive Alistair Neill £131,476 over the same period. |
| Pay details | Pay details |
| The highest overall earner in the survey was revealed as former Swansea Council chief executive Tim Thorogood who left his post in 2006. | The highest overall earner in the survey was revealed as former Swansea Council chief executive Tim Thorogood who left his post in 2006. |
| He picked up £167,156.70 in 2005-6 which included £62,623.50 in the form of a severance package, said the survey. | He picked up £167,156.70 in 2005-6 which included £62,623.50 in the form of a severance package, said the survey. |
| COUNCIL TOP EARNERS Cardiff chief executive Byron Davies - £151,186Carmarthenshire chief executive Mark James - £148,867Ceredigion chief executive Owen Watkin - £102,618Conwy chief executive Clifford Barker - £101,036Denbighshire chief executive Ian Miller - £109,385Flintshire occupational physician P Oliver - £105,725Gwynedd chief executive Harry Thomas - £105,725Merthyr Tydfil chief executive Alistair Neill - £131,476Monmouthshire chief executive Colin Berg - £103,515Neath Port Talbot chief executive Ken Sawyers - £125,000Newport chief executive Chris Freegard - £120,524Powys chief executive Mark Kerr - £108,454Wrexham chief executive Isobel Garner - £103,269"Town Hall Rich List" - Welsh council top earners 2006-7 in alphabetical order. Source: Tax Payers' Allowance/FoI | COUNCIL TOP EARNERS Cardiff chief executive Byron Davies - £151,186Carmarthenshire chief executive Mark James - £148,867Ceredigion chief executive Owen Watkin - £102,618Conwy chief executive Clifford Barker - £101,036Denbighshire chief executive Ian Miller - £109,385Flintshire occupational physician P Oliver - £105,725Gwynedd chief executive Harry Thomas - £105,725Merthyr Tydfil chief executive Alistair Neill - £131,476Monmouthshire chief executive Colin Berg - £103,515Neath Port Talbot chief executive Ken Sawyers - £125,000Newport chief executive Chris Freegard - £120,524Powys chief executive Mark Kerr - £108,454Wrexham chief executive Isobel Garner - £103,269"Town Hall Rich List" - Welsh council top earners 2006-7 in alphabetical order. Source: Tax Payers' Allowance/FoI |
| The council explained that the payment was a one-off annual salary due to Mr Thorogood's pay-off and that the current council leader was not earning anywhere near that amount. | The council explained that the payment was a one-off annual salary due to Mr Thorogood's pay-off and that the current council leader was not earning anywhere near that amount. |
| The TPA put the list together after sending Freedom of Information requests to more than 450 local authorities across the UK in December 2007. | The TPA put the list together after sending Freedom of Information requests to more than 450 local authorities across the UK in December 2007. |
| The requests asked for employee pay details for the two most recent financial years - 2005-06 and 2006-07 - with the TPA compiling the list on the back of the responses it received. | The requests asked for employee pay details for the two most recent financial years - 2005-06 and 2006-07 - with the TPA compiling the list on the back of the responses it received. |
| The organisation was formed in 2004 to represent taxpayers and fight for lower taxes. | The organisation was formed in 2004 to represent taxpayers and fight for lower taxes. |
| This is the second "rich list" it has created as part of its campaign. | This is the second "rich list" it has created as part of its campaign. |
| TAP chief executive Matthew Elliott said: "Taxpayers have a right to know how much senior town hall officials are being paid because only then can we judge whether they deserve their remuneration. | TAP chief executive Matthew Elliott said: "Taxpayers have a right to know how much senior town hall officials are being paid because only then can we judge whether they deserve their remuneration. |
| "Too often, council executives are rewarded handsomely even when they fail. Families and pensioners are struggling with the demands of yet another council tax rise, and councils owe it to them to cut back on executive pay hikes." | "Too often, council executives are rewarded handsomely even when they fail. Families and pensioners are struggling with the demands of yet another council tax rise, and councils owe it to them to cut back on executive pay hikes." |
| 'Performance' | 'Performance' |
| Councils who failed to respond to the survey included Caerphilly, Pembrokeshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan. | Councils who failed to respond to the survey included Caerphilly, Pembrokeshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan. |
| Several councils declined to comment claiming the TPA's results were not truly representative of council pay structures in Wales. | Several councils declined to comment claiming the TPA's results were not truly representative of council pay structures in Wales. |
| The Welsh Local Government Association has also been asked to comment. | The Welsh Local Government Association has also been asked to comment. |
| David Rosser, director of the Confederation of British Industry in Wales, said the focus should not be on the amount executives were paid but on the responsibilties they had and whether an element of performance was built into their salary. | David Rosser, director of the Confederation of British Industry in Wales, said the focus should not be on the amount executives were paid but on the responsibilties they had and whether an element of performance was built into their salary. |
| He said: "I don't think £100,000 a year for someone running an organisation with several thousand staff sounds particularly excessive. | He said: "I don't think £100,000 a year for someone running an organisation with several thousand staff sounds particularly excessive. |
| "But if that then becomes a job for life, with no real relation with their performance, then that's a different issue. | "But if that then becomes a job for life, with no real relation with their performance, then that's a different issue. |
| "Reward for failure is a bad thing whether in the public or private sector but to say families are hard-pressed and we should cut exectives' salaries doesn't make much sense to me." | "Reward for failure is a bad thing whether in the public or private sector but to say families are hard-pressed and we should cut exectives' salaries doesn't make much sense to me." |