I have to wonder what anybody could do to justify a annual salary
of more than £340,000. But that is what Somerset County Council is reported to
have been paying its Director of Children’s Services.
I say ‘have been’ because apparently they are letting him
go.
I had a look at vacancies for some other jobs in Somerset.
They offer a newly qualified social worker £27,323, a social worker who has
completed one year’s employment since qualification £31,160 and an experienced
social worker £34,894.
Somerset County Council are quoted as saying that it has been
decided to let the Director go because "faster improvement” has not come
about. Sounds like the council, which is rated as ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted and
subject to an ‘improvement notice’,
was putting a lot of eggs in the
dynamic-leader-super-hero-turnaround-wiz-kid basket.
I read with interest that the post of Director of Children’s
Services in Somerset will now be covered by the Chief Executive “for the time being”.
I find that puzzling. If it is the sort of job that can only be done by someone
who is paid £340,000 per annum (which is more than £1000 per day), how can it
be ‘covered’ by someone who has another full-time, and presumably very
demanding, job?
Maybe they should just have a permanent vacancy and use the whole
salary package to employ 10 more experienced social workers! I bet that would
have more positive impact on children’s lives.
