Council use tax rise to appoint more senior staff

There is no respite from waste for the residents of Stoke-on-Trent.

Not content with spending £330,000 firing and re-hiring the same workers, nor satisfied with paying over half a million pounds to employees suspended from work, the City Council now plans to hire an assistant Chief Executive on a salary of £132,000 and a new assistant director on £104,000.

John van de Laarschot, whose own annual package as Chief Executive is £198,000, has managed without a deputy since he took over in 2009.Stoke residents were promised that four director roles would be cut as part of a new management structure. Now we learn the proposed savings are to be offset by these new six-figure posts.

It is a kick in the teeth for the people of Stoke, who face a 3.5% council tax rise next year, while neighbouring councils have frozen their residents' council tax.

Stoke-on-Trent City council said the rise was to protect services. Instead they are creating new council fatcats.There is no respite from waste for the residents of Stoke-on-Trent.

Not content with spending £330,000 firing and re-hiring the same workers, nor satisfied with paying over half a million pounds to employees suspended from work, the City Council now plans to hire an assistant Chief Executive on a salary of £132,000 and a new assistant director on £104,000.

John van de Laarschot, whose own annual package as Chief Executive is £198,000, has managed without a deputy since he took over in 2009.Stoke residents were promised that four director roles would be cut as part of a new management structure. Now we learn the proposed savings are to be offset by these new six-figure posts.

It is a kick in the teeth for the people of Stoke, who face a 3.5% council tax rise next year, while neighbouring councils have frozen their residents' council tax.

Stoke-on-Trent City council said the rise was to protect services. Instead they are creating new council fatcats.
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