Glasgow’s former head of social work tops UK earnings list

By Iain MacDonald6th August 2014News ScotlandLocal Authorities, News Scotland, Pay, Pay and Conditions

A survey of senior local government executives and their full remuneration has been published by the The TaxPayers’ Alliance.

In what is their eighth ‘Town Hall Rich List’, the Alliance said David Crawford, former Executive Director of Social Care Services at Glasgow City Council topped the earners list.

Mr Crawford reportadly earned £486,303 in 2012-13, making him not only highest earner in Scotland, but also the highest anywhere in the UK.

Although Mr Crawford took early retirement from his £120,000-a-year post that same year, it is believed he took advantage of the authority’s generous redundancy packages available to over-50s.

Glasgow also had the most employees receiving in excess of £100,000 in 2012-13 with 32.

Other findings from the research included:

There were at least 2,181 council employees who received total remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2011-12, a fall of 5 per cent on the previous year’s 2,295.
Despite this, 93 councils increased the number of staff who received remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2011-12.
These six-figure remuneration packages cost the taxpayer nearly £300 million in 2012-13
Knowsley Council more than doubled the number of staff who received remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2012-13 to 15, the biggest increase of any local authority.
The figure of 2,181 is almost certainly an underestimate. The opacity of some councils’ accounts makes it impossible to separate teaching staff from council staff. To ensure accuracy, any data about which we were unclear and would have shown more council employees receiving £100,000 or more in 2012-13 has been omitted.
In 2012-13, there were 542 council employees who received remuneration over £150,000.
Of these, 34 council employees received remuneration in excess of £250,000.
The highest paid council employee, excluding larger than usual, one-off payments due to redundancy or retirement, was received by I. Craig, Managing Director of Lothian Buses, a subsidiary 91 per cent owned by the City of Edinburgh Council who received £300,081.
The highest paid council Chief Executive not in receipt of one-off payments due to redundancy was Paul Martin, Chief Executive of Wandsworth Council, who received £274,224.
The largest remuneration package in Wales in 2012-13 was received by Jonathan House, Chief Executive of Cardiff Council, who received £258,006. Cardiff Council also had the most employees receiving remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2012-13 with 9.
The largest remuneration package in London in 2012-13 was Paul Martin, Chief Executive of Wandsworth Council, who received £274,224. Wandsworth also had the most employees receiving remuneration in excess of £100,000 with 29.