Cheshire West and Chester Council chief executive Steve Robinson given £7,000 ‘golden hello’

Jan 28 2010 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

AN MP has criticised Cheshire West and Chester Council for giving its chief executive an extra £7,000 in his salary to persuade him to join the authority.

Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall is unhappy after a Freedom of Information response revealed chief executive Steve Robinson is paid £180,000, despite the job being advertised at circa £173,000.

The authority says more money was offered because Mr Robinson was the ‘right man for the job’.

An irritated Mr Hall said: “The initial salary of £173,000, I thought, was excessive for the post of chief executive of the new unitary authority. If it turns out the salary is £180,000 then people should have been informed what they were paying for the chief executive – £180,000 is a very excessive salary.”

Council leader Mike Jones said: “The staffing committee, which includes all-party representation, unanimously decided to offer Steve Robinson the job of chief executive at a salary of £180 000 because it was felt he was exactly the right man for the job.

“The discretionary decision of members to offer an enhanced salary to the advertised wage has been fully justified by the outstanding results achieved in the first nine months of the authority’s existence.”

Front-line services received an extra £7m thanks to £43m efficiency savings.

The FOI response reveals directors Julie Gill, resources, John Stephens, children and young people, and Ian Whitehead, adult social care, earn £125,000 each, while Steve Kent, environment, and Charlie Seward, regeneration and culture, earn £110,000 each.

Former area and communities director Mike Lewis, whose post was axed months after being created, was on an annual salary of £108,000.