Handsome salaries on offer for top Highland Council posts spark anger
Fresh controversy over highly-paid jobs at cash-strapped Highland Council has been sparked by adverts for two roles worth a combined £216,744 a year.
The local authority wants a new chief operating officer/depute chief executive with a £122,812 salary and it is looking for a new executive chief officer for care and learning with a £93,932 pay packet.
The council has not had a depute chief executive since Derek Yule retired in June last year.
Lesley Weber became the executive chief officer for health and social care in September last year but will go next month due to unforeseen family circumstances.
A council recruitment panel agreed in May 2019 to advertise the chief operating officer/depute chief executive post, but efforts 12 months ago failed to find a suitable candidate.
A council spokeswoman said the process was then paused but the administration now wanted it to go ahead.
Opposition councillors are concerned that the posts are being advertised in the wake of controversy surrounding the £936 a day payments for outgoing interim education boss Paul Senior.
SNP group co-leader Maxine Smith said: “On the back of the scandal of paying £936 a day for a London senior education consultant who still didn’t manage to assist our ward in any way, we did not expect to see the council advertising yet another high-end job at a huge salary.
“Not only is this insensitive at a time when we cannot get the correct levels of staff we need, but it is also unfair of the administration to ignore the plight of children in regard to their teaching.”
Conservative group leader Andrew Jarvie said: “Two years ago, this council had five senior officer posts. There are now nine and they still want more.
“It’s disgusting and they should hang their heads in shame. I only hope the rest of the councillors can see this for what it is and try to help halt this madness.”
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