Friday, 15 October 2010

Council chief takes voluntary pay cut

Dear Resident
 
I read with interest the headline above in Local Government Newsletter. (See link: http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=92518)
 
In excitement, I quickly clicked on the article to see if Thurrock is taking the lead again.
 
Ah, maybe not this time.  It was the Cornwall Chief Exec taking a pay cut from his £200,000 per year salary.  He said he was doing it to lead from the front. Hmmm.
 
Considering that this will in real terms amount to just over £200 a month, it certainly won't fix the deficit.  Neither will the pay cut which government Ministers agreed to earlier on in the year; nor will the 5% pay cut Thurrock Councillors agreed to in September. However its the gesture that counts!
 
Taking a pay cut is a personal decision and not everyone can afford to, even if they wanted.  However the slogan "we are all in it together" comes to mind.
 
Being optimistic, I can only hope that where one unitary council goes others will follow.
 
Tunde Ojetola

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