Why should senior officers get pay rises for role changes when staff at the lower end of the salary scale don’t?

Clr. Vic Dennis raised a disparity in treatment of staff as full council discussed a proposed shake up of senior management at Pembrokeshire County Council.

A proposal from chief executive Ian Westley had been agreed by senior staff committee in June and was sent to last month’s council meeting for final approval.

However, questions were raised about the plan including the difference in how staff are treated at the authority.

Clr. Dennis, who highlighted a staff review and regrading process that was carried out a few years ago resulting in many people taking on more work, added: “Those under senior staff condition won’t have that, why are they getting more with a change in role when other staff do not?”

Mr. Westley acknowledged that there were “inconsistencies.”

“There are inconsistencies at all levels, including senior staff. I do my utmost to see fair outcomes for those providing monumental efforts at every grade of the authority.

“If it wasn’t for those going the extra mile this authority would have fallen over a long time ago,” he added.

Clr. Guy Woodham also criticised the plan saying it had led to senior staff leaving, stating members received emails saying the head of regeneration and revenue services were leaving because of the review.

Mr. Westley said no one had been forced to leave but some had decided to retire “if it helps.”

Questions were also raised about continued performance reviews and whether posts were downgraded as well as upgraded.

Mr. Westley’s recommendation put to full council were that the management of the tourism team be assigned to the head of culture and leisure, following the retirement of the head of regeneration and that the interim head of ICT post be advertised as a permanent or open-ended contract with a salary range of £59,375 to £65,310.

The changes include making the director of development post the director of regeneration and community services, with no change in the grade of post.

Another change would be reconfiguring the head of highways and construction post to become the head of infrastructure, reporting into the director of community services.

This will see the post regraded, with potential pay increase, to recognise the increased responsibilities of line management of future works, community regeneration and Bridge Innovation Centre.

These were previously under the director of regeneration’s umbrella.

Another redesigned post with increased grading will be the head of environmental services and public protection, reporting to the director of community services.

Management of the public protection team will be an additional responsibility and the “post of head of public protection will be deleted,” states Mr Westley’s report.

The director of finance will be renamed director of resources with the European team brought into his remit, again formerly part of the head of regeneration’s work, with no change to the post grade.

This was approved by full council by a majority.