Councillor Bill Clark delight at social work pay move

LOCHABER Independent councillor Bill Clark has welcomed a decision by a senior social work officer not to accept a controversial £25,000 salary hike which has been at the centre of a political row.

Highland Council has appointed Bill Alexander to the temporary post of chief operating officer in the social work service.

Over the next six months he will step aside from his substantive role as head of children’s services to work directly to social work director Harriet Dempster to lead the modernisation of social work services for adults.

His promotion will enable £105,000-a-year Mrs Dempster to serve as chair of the national Association of Directors of Social Work, which will take her away from council business for two days a week.

Highland Council’s social work service is heading for a £3.9 million overspend this year and savings have to be found.

Announcing his appointment last week, Highland Council said Mr Alexander, who earns a salary of £72,000, would not be accepting the additional £25,000 in salary that goes with the post as he “recognises the particular financial challenges that face the council at this time”.

The £25,000 allocation was agreed by councillors on October 29, but only after a vote was forced by Cllr Clark, who represents the Caol and Mallaig ward.

He had objected to such a sum being allocated from the already stretched social work budget, but his motion was defeated 58-5 in a vote.

In the immediate aftermath of the vote, Cllr Clark was temporarily suspended from the council’s ruling Independent/Lib-Dem/Labour coalition administration.

He was said to have broken standing orders by forcing a vote on an administration agenda item.

But at a meeting of the 29-strong Independent group on November 11 to decide whether he should be expelled from the group, Cllr Clark successfully defended his position and emerged victorious.

Reflecting on Mr Alexander’s appointment and salary decision, Cllr Clark said: “There was never any question about the calibre of the man, as Bill Alexander certainly has qualities that many people can only aspire to.

“But there’s no doubt that there has been an element of farce about the whole affair. I welcome news that the £25,000 will not have to be allocated anymore from the stretched social work budget.

“As an Independent councillor, I simply stood up for what I believed and in the interests of the residents who voted for me and who I represent on Highland Council.

“There’s no doubt this has all come about because of a decision to allow our director of social work to take two days off per week with no salary implications.”

Mr Alexander’s new duties will involve the continued development of home care, as well as other key services for older people, and those with disabilities or mental health needs.

It will also support further integration of the management and delivery of health and social care, and the chief executives of both Highland Council and NHS Highland joined with Mrs Dempster in making the appointment.

Mr Alexander said: “I am looking forward to working with colleagues across social work and partner agencies, to respond to the increasing demands on community care services.

“Highland Council has set out a significant programme of modernisation, and I shall be supporting staff and managers to help turn these plans into action.”

Councillor Michael Foxley, leader of the council’s administration, welcomed the appointment.

He said: “We need to strengthen the senior management team in social work to deal with the complex professional and financial issues involved with joint community care with the NHS.”

Mrs Dempster said: “We have made a first class appointment, which will allow us to focus on further improvements in services.

“We are working with NHS Highland to deliver and implement a joint community care plan, and Mr Alexander will lead a team of colleagues who will bring this to fruition.”