West Midlands 'super council' boss to earn £187,500
The new chief executive of the West Midlands ‘super council’ will be paid £187,500 a year – £7,500 more than the advertised salary.
Deborah Cadman, currently chief executive of Suffolk County Council, will take up the role at the West Midlands Combined Authority later in the year.
The role was advertised with a salary of between £160,000 and £180,000.
The 54-year-old is due to take over the running of the body in September. Details of ‘relocation expenses’, annual leave entitlement and ‘other matters’ have so far been kept under wraps.
Her previous role in Suffolk came with a £170,000-a-year salary. It is £108,500 more than the first elected West Midlands Mayor Andy Street who is paid £79,000.
Publicly-available documents state: “Following negotiations the final package agreed (with the discretion provided by the interview panel) is £187,500... As the negotiated pay is higher than the substantive pay range there will be no automatic increase in base pay other than any JNC (Joint Negotiating Committee) for chief officers nationally or regionally agreed pay increases. It should also be noted that there is no performance related pay approved for the post.
“Any change to either of these in the future will be the subject of a report to the Board of the West Midlands Combined Authority.”
The authority said the extra £7,500 in salary can be paid for out of the remaining budget for the body.
Mrs Cadman, who is from Birmingham, will replace interim chief executive Martin Reeves, who will return to his post at Coventry City Council.
Pete Durnell, who was the UKIP mayoral candidate, said: “At the rate it is going it will barely pay the salaries of the staff.”
A combined authority spokesman said: “A degree of flexibility will always be required when trying to secure the strongest candidate.”
