TWO NEW PAY RISES WORTH EXTRA £6,600 FOR TEIGNBRIDGE COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Devon's highest paid district council boss has been awarded two more pay rises worth an
extra £6,645 -- just 12 months after seeing her basic salary jump by £13,354, it's been revealed.

Teignbridge Council chief executive Nicola Bulbeck shot to the top of the Devon districts pay league after being handed the massive 'gold-plated' pay rise by the Conservative-run council last year.

Her total published pay package for 2015-16, including pension contributions and benefits in kind, is worth £141,972 - taking it close to that earned by the Prime Minister, Theresa May.

Now it's been discovered the council has also guaranteed its top manager TWO further pay rises worth £6,645.

One is being paid this year, costing local council tax payers £3,510 and the second pay increase follows in just four months time when an extra £3,335 will be added to Ms Bulbeck's pay in April, say astonished Liberal Democrats who have unearthed the details.

At that point, Ms Bulbeck's basic salary will be £125,505 PLUS benefits and pension contributions, which last year alone totalled £23,112.

In addition to the pay rises, Ms Bulbeck has also been paid a total of £28,529.19 in the last three years for her role as Returning Officer, responsible for overseeing election arrangements in Teignbridge. These payments are funded externally.

"The Conservatives running Teignbridge have gold plated the pay package for the council's chief executive, using hard earned council tax payers money," said Cllr Gordon Hook, Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on the council.

"We were all astonished to discover the massive pay rise given to the chief executive last year and now we discover there are two more big pay rises.

His deputy, Cllr Alistair Dewhirst, added:"In just three years, the chief executive's basic pay will have jumped from £105,506 a year to £125,505. That's an increase of £20,000 plus benefits and pension contributions.

"It shows yet again that the Conservatives don't care about the people who struggle to pay the bills and keep up with their Council Tax."

Teignbridge Council is still refusing to reveal the identity of the Conservative councillor it took to court for non payment of over £1,200 in Council Tax, saying it would breach data protection rules.

News from Teignbridge Liberal Democrats

Date: Monday 5 December 2016