Islington Tribune - News: Town Hall top job pay up by £30,000

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 15 February 2008

Town Hall top job pay up by £30,000

THE Town Hall has come under fire after approving a massive £30,000 salary increase for whoever replaces chief executive Helen Bailey in the summer.
Labour councillor Paul Convery said the council was entering into a “financial arms race” prompted by expensive headhunters “pulling the wool over their eyes”.
The replacement for Ms Bailey is in line for a maximum £190,000 salary. The Town Hall has hired executive headhunters Odgers, Ray and Berndtson to help fill the top job.
The Town Hall said the salary jump was because the job had not been advertised for six years so it had to be brought in line with comparable posts elsewhere.
But Cllr Convery said a good advertisement in a national newspaper would be enough to attract decent candidates.
He added: “In belt-tightening times it seems pretty amazing they are prepared to just whack another £30,000 on the chief executive’s salary. The £30,000 alone is what most people would call a pretty decent salary.
“There’s a bit of fiction that chief executives are these incredibly rare, magical people but that’s a mistake. As Helen Bailey said to the Tribune ‘I’m just another dull bureaucrat.’ If they can pay £190,000 for another dull bureaucrat I can’t imagine what they will pay for a sparkling leader. It’s out of control and must stop.”

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