'˜Fat cat' bosses at Bedford and Central Beds Council earned nearly £3m between them last year

The 20 best-paid council staff in Bedford and Central Bedfordshire councils earned more than £2.7million between them last year.
Phil SimpkinsPhil Simpkins
Phil Simpkins

New research by the Taxpayers Alliance looks at local authority staff who are paid £100,000 or more.

And both authorities have 10 such staff, with two Bedford employees plus three Central Beds staff earning over £150,000.

Elstow Parish councillor Tony Hare, who has previously stood for Mayor of Bedford, said: “What do you get for this money?

Central Bedfordshire Council chief executive Richard CarrCentral Bedfordshire Council chief executive Richard Carr
Central Bedfordshire Council chief executive Richard Carr

“We have roads that you can’t drive on, streetlights that don’t light the streets, but the fat cats keep getting their pay increases.

“I quite like Bedford’s chief executive – but how can he be paid more than the Prime Minister?”

The best-paid employee across the two authorities was Central Beds chief executive Richard Carr, whose remuneration was £230,165 last year.

That included £45,595 in pension contributions, and £1,457 in expenses.

Central Bedfordshire Council chief executive Richard CarrCentral Bedfordshire Council chief executive Richard Carr
Central Bedfordshire Council chief executive Richard Carr

Bedford Borough’s chief executive Phil Simpkins was their best-paid officer.

He received £195,815, including £24,115 in pension contributions.

A Bedford Borough Council spokesman said: “The council has saved over £1million through a recent senior management restructure, as part of our Bedford Borough 2020 transformation project.

“The management grading structure and pay rates are locally agreed and independently reviewed to ensure they are set at an appropriate level.”

A Central Beds spokesman said: “Central Bedfordshire Council is responsible for multi-million pound budgets and we deliver a broad and complex range of services.

“Our senior executive salaries reflect this level of responsibility and our need to attract talented and experienced people to deliver quality services.”

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