£238,000 council chief 'sells' unused time off

One of Britain's highest paid council chiefs was labelled a "disgrace" today after it emerged he pocketed £12,000 on top of his £238,000 annual salary - for not taking all his annual holiday leave.

Peter Gilroy, chief executive of Kent county council, was criticised by taxpayer groups for taking the extra sum.

Figures obtained by a local Kent newspaper showed Mr Gilroy earned a basic salary of £207,100, a performance-related bonus of £31,065 and £11,916 under a holiday sell-back scheme. Susie Squire, campaign manager for the Taxpayers' Alliance, said of the decision to award the extra sum in 2007/2008: "It is a disgrace and ultimately rewards failure on Mr Gilroy's part to get all his work done on time.

"In a time when most hard-working British taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet ,this astronomic figure will make them sick to their stomachs. He should give that £12,000 back."

The figure paid to Mr Gilroy was criticised by opposition politicians who sit on the Conservative-run council.

Labour councillor Clive Hart said: "It is an incredible figure and more than some people I represent earn in a year. Is it necessary for this to be allowed?"

The figures emerged at a committee meeting yesterday and come after the publication of a survey by the Taxpayers' Alliance, revealing the number of people earning more than £100,000 at the council had doubled in a year.

Mr Gilroy, who earns £61,000 more than the Prime Minister, was allowed to "sell" his leave entitlement back to the council. Amanda Beer, the council's director of personnel, told the meeting: "The ability to sell annual leave is in the terms of employment and applies to all members of staff."

A Kent county council spokesman would not reveal how many holiday days Mr Gilroy claimed for. The spokesman added: "Peter Gilroy will continue to focus on what matters. We will not comment further on this personal attack on the chief executive.

"Peter Gilroy is an outstanding public servant who spent 28 years in social care before becoming chief executive at Kent. As acting director of children's services as well as chief executive, Peter is conducting a review into child protection in Kent alongside his other duties.

"He is being paid no additional salary for these added duties. He is never off duty and is rarely able to take his full leave entitlement."

County council leader Paul Carter said: "We have to recruit into a very competitive market for quality senior staff. That market and how it reacts to salary bands and levels will move."

It was revealed in February the council's senior officers were paid £102,000 in bonuses.