Council advertising for highly paid assistant director as frontline staff face redundancy

Rochdale Borough Council

As more council frontline staff are facing losing their jobs, questions are being asked over the Council advertising for an 'Assistant Director of Information, Customers and Communities' on a salary of between £64,028 and £74,267 per year.

Julie Burgess, Regional Officer for Unite the Union, said: "Unite does not feel it is appropriate to make such appointments at a time when cuts to frontline staff, and cuts to their terms and conditions, are being proposed."

Ms Burgess added: "Unite will be not be supporting the proposals."

The assistant director roles were created earlier this year and it is understood the job being advertised is to replace an assistant director who is leaving the council's employ.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/100593/council-to-axe-39-jobs-but-appoint-new-assistant-directors

There are now six council 'directorates', and as well as the assistant directors, each has a director on salaries as high as £97,000.

There was huge controversy when two council directors, Mark Widdup and Pauline Kane, had massive pay rises in 2014 - Mr Widdup's salary was increased by almost £20,000 from £78,876 to £97,185 and Pauline Kane saw her salary increase from £76,786 to £91,464.

Steve Rumbelow, Rochdale Borough Council Chief Executive, started work at the Council in December 2014 on a salary of between £126,250 and £131,300.