“Oh yes...and how many of these only work 3 days a week, go home at 3 o'clock on Fridays, have 8 weeks holiday per year and are off work sick every time the cat gets a cold.

IAN”

“Why are we paying these execs such high salaries when our schools are failing and amonst the lowest achieving in the country, social care and services are about to be cut, our transport system is an expensive joke ( for those of us who cannot afford to travel by car ), local swimming facilities have been closed and left empty for 3-4 years and we are told that council tax will have to rise to cover the shortfall in council and government funds for essential services. Bristol is now officially in the 'Twilight Zone'.”

“The chief executive joined around Easter 2008 on £180,000. Now she is on £189,533. A 5%+ pay rise in a recession. Cool.”

“David Bishop on £112+ a year?

Isn't he supposed to be delivering a decent public transport system for Bristol?

Can we have our money back please?”

“Are we supposed to be shocked or surprised by these figures?

We all knew that these people get these salary's and even more in expenses as well as longer holidays than the staff beneath them.

Are they worth it ? No
Are they greedy ? Yes
Are they that much better than thee or I ? I doubt it.”

“All I want is er biggerr wheeli bin not 150 k a yearrr”

“Having spent several years at BCC, I dealt with one or two of these strategic people. They were totally useless. One had a computer on his desk gathering dust. I eventually persuaded him to give it a section that needed a pc.

Another said he didn't want his staff becoming 'typists'. They were required to use a computerised system as an essential part of their work serving the public. The same person said they would never appoint a young woman to a senior job as they would most likely go on maternity leave.

Although it was nearly 2 decades ago, even at that time, these strategic people were earning over 60k per year. When asked to make savings, they naturally cut the hours of part-time and low-paid workers earning about 8k per year. As my fellow Londoners would say, these people are nothing but 'corrupt mothers'.....”

“As shocking as these figures may seem to rate payers who pay these excessive wages while scraping by on a fraction of these (over)paid senior officers they tell only half the story as most of these people will retire (very) early on massively subsidised (by us) pensions and receieve large golden handshakes and other perks.
It is a yet another gravy train paid for by us the Bristolians to graduates from the home counties.”

“Wages do not take up 52% in most companies -were do you get your facts from. My company has rent, rates, water, gas, electricity, software costs etc... This council has too many chiefs in my opinion and I hope the next government will do what most private sectors companies have done - and cut back on these penpushers and put the money were it belongs - at the front line.”

“John is right - these are professional people with a lot of responsibility and staff to manage. In the private sector any of them could expect to earn more and while they clearly need to achieve certain performance standards it is only right that people in the public sector can reach a decent salary when they have worked their way up.

A failure to pay decent wages at these levels would mean a loss of more talen to the private sector, something the public sector can ill afford.

Interesting too that there is a comment from the Taxpayers Alliance, an organisation with a board member who is neither a British resident nor taxpayer .”