The LGA fat cats
One useful role for the Local Government Association could be offering Town Halls some tips of streamlning layers of senior management. Unfortunately the LGA is in no position to do - it is a worse offender in this regard than any local council.
Look at these salaries for the LGA "family." Why does the LGA needs three levels of chief executives? The CE John Ransford, The Deputy CE Jo Miller and the newly appointed Assistant CE Corin Thomson. This is an organisation that doesn't deliver any services to the public - yet has more levels of chief executives than even a large local council.
There are a further 20 people at LGA with salaries in excess of £85,000, another three at Local Government Employers in excess of £95,000, another three at Local Government Regulation £85,000 and another one at Local Government Leadership at £100,000
That makes a total of 55 people at the LGA Group on salaries in excess of £80K, although the average salary comes to £90k. The organisation does not employ one single teacher, nurse, practicing social worker, care assistant, doctor, police man or any other 'frontline worker'. Does it really need a 'National Adviser - Partnership' on £85,000 - about £30,000 more than the council she is from?
The salaries stated do not include pension contributions by the employer which can add another 15-20%.
The above list on the LGA website omits some high salaried people because the will pretend they are a separate organisation e.g. Centre for Public Scrutiny, the head of which reports to Rob Whiteman and John Ransford and is likely to be on another £85,000.
There are 28 people at the Local Government Improvement and Development (formerly known as the IDeA) on salaries in excess of £80,000 (which as a proportion of the workforce of around 150 makes it one of the organisations in the public sector with the highest paid staff).
There are some interesting figures in the salary details. The Department of Health recently gave a multi million pound grant to IDeA to help councils with the ageing population (programme called 'Ageing Well'). Why does that programme need both a National Adviser on Social Care and a programme manager.
LGID National Advisor - Adult Social Care Mona Seghal £80,000 - £84,999
LGID Head of Programme - Ageing Well Guy Robertson £80,000 - £84,999
However, it doesnt stop there. In addition to the above two people the organisation also has Andrew Cozens as a adult social care adviser.
LGID LGA Group Strategic Lead of Adult Social Care and Health Andrew Cozens £125,000 - £129,999
Exactly how many 'Strategy Advisers' does an organisation such as the Local Government Improvement and Development need. It seems it needs three with total salaries of £335000+ pa (not including pension costs).
LGID Strategic Advisor Sara Williams £130,000 - £134,999
LGID Head of Strategy and Development Ruby Dixon £90,000 - £94,999
LGID Strategic Business Adviser Helen Platts £115,000 - £119,999
I understand that at the Local Government Improvement and Development the majority of the staff, including the senior paid staff are home workers (the LGI pays for them to have office equipment and laptops at home and pays for their train costs and hotel costs to come to London on average twice a week. It would be interesting to see the LGI's spending on travel and hotel costs. The arrangement allows staff to live in low cost housing areas while being paid London salaries.
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