JOINT appointments for senior officers who will work for two Gwent councils will have a salary range from £76,000 to £165,000 a year.
Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent borough councils agreed earlier this year to work closer together, including sharing a chief executive and some other senior officers.
Stephen Vickers, who had been the chief executive of Torfaen, was appointed as joint chief executive with the neighbouring council following a trial period and Torfaen councillors have now approved a number of measures to support the “federation” model between the two authorities.
That includes establishing a joint pay structure for posts that will work across the two councils and the agreement for shared leadership roles.
Joint pay structure
The joint pay structure will have eight grades, from 13 to the highest grade 20.
Salary points in grade 13 range from £76,941 to £82,858 while the highest salaries in the other grades are £92,027, £100,255, £109,655, £121,299 and £136,941 with the grade 19 having just one salary of £141,049.
A report for Torfaen council stated: “There will be a small number of joint roles in addition to the joint chief executive.”
Mr Vickers’ salary is £165,266, which has increased in line with agreed national rates, along with all council salaries, from the £156,235 approved as the joint salary in June 2024 during the early stages of the joint working arrangements.
The joint pay structure has been developed on a population formula for neighbouring councils with similar populations to Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent combined.
A joint appointments committee will also be established, including elected councillors from both authorities, to make appointments for chief officers who will be accountable to both councils.