Bradford Council Chief Executive Ian Stewart is in line for a 15 per cent pay rise and his salary could soar to £124,000 in a pay review approved by councillors.

But today Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said it gave the "wrong message" at a time when Council jobs were under threat because of cuts.

Mr Stewart came to the Council from his job as director general with the DSS fraud inspectorate in May last year.

Since then his salary has been increased from £101,000 to £107,000 in two annual pay reviews.

The new scale goes up in steps according to his performance and has a ceiling of £124,000.

The amount would depend on performance appraisals to be carried out by Council leader Councillor Margaret Eaton and leaders of the Labour and Liberal groups, Ian Greenwood and Jeanette Sunderland.

Secretary of the Bradford National Union of Teachers, Ian Murch, said: "The Council is spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on top officers and, in my view, it is far too much."

Chairman of Bradford Retail Action group Jeff Frankel said: "If it is performance related and if he can bring Bradford to what it is capable of, I don't see any problem. He is doing a good job so far. But if he doesn't succeed, it is throwing money away."

Chairman of the district tenants' federation, John Rawnsley, said: "If we have a top man for the job the benefits can be great."

But Mr Sutcliffe said: "I think it is a difficult time to do this at a time of financial restraint and when some people are losing their jobs. I think it gives all the wrong messages and there must be a more appropriate time to do it."

Mr Stewart, a former professional footballer and manager, heads a workforce of 23,000 people in Britain's fourth biggest metropolitan authority.

His three new assistant chief executives are likely to command salaries of more than £80,000.

Coun Eaton said the proposed increase was in line with the recommendations of the Joint Negotiating Council for Chief Executives.

If he reaches the top salary, Mr Stewart will earn more than Leeds Council's chief executive, Paul Rogerson, who is on a scale from £109,000 to £120,000.

It would compare with £130,000 earned by the chief executive of Bradford and Bingley building society group David Henshaw.

But Kevin Bond, former chief executive of Kelda - formerly Yorkshire Water - was earning £207,000.

Coun Eaton said: "We need somebody who has the skills, energy and imagination who can work towards the 2020 vision along with committed politicians."

Labour group deputy leader Councillor Barry Thorne said he accepted the independent view on the scale of the salary increase.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, said: "It is a straightforward re-evaluation of salary against the market rate. It is a routine matter."

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