MK welcomes review of high-earners' salaries

Mebyon Kernow has welcomed the announcement by the leadership of Cornwall Council that it intends to review the salaries, pension contributions and severance arrangements for the most senior and well-remunerated staff.

This follows considerable controversy around the wage levels of Chief Executive Kevin Lavery and the massive pay-offs to two directors, who left the authority voluntarily, while severence agreements were being reduced for ordinary staff members.

I believe it is wrong that there is such disparity between the salaries of the high-earners in senior positions at Cornwall Council and the wages of ordinary workers, who are employed at the Council or elsewhere in Cornwall.

But it is important that the review is open and fully transparent.

Never again must it be possible for the details of the employment contracts of senior officers to be kept secret from councillors. And never again can it be possible for the Council to pay a golden handshake to a departing director and to keep the amount secret, even from elected members, due to some confidentiality clause or legal agreement.