13 per cent pay rise for council boss

THE chief executive of cash-strapped Dumfries and Galloway Council is set to get a controversial 13 per cent pay rise, taking her annual salary up to £200,143.

Dawn Roberts, above, currently earns £177,009 a year, but she’ll get an extra £23,134 from November 2026.

And that will put her on significantly more than both the UK Prime Minister and the Scottish First Minister who are paid £172,153 and £176,605 respectively.

Ms Robert’s wages are going up following a review of local authority chief executive pay carried out by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

The organisation stressed remuneration should ‘reflect the demands of the role’ and said chief executive pay has not kept pace with internal or wider public sector levels, creating challenges in recruitment and retention.

However, the recommendations have been criticised by the Unison trade union and officials are calling on Ms Roberts to decline the increase.

Unison has described the planned pay rises for Scotland’s council chiefs as ‘excessive and unacceptable’ and wants to see them reversed.

Spokesperson Mo Dickson said: “Sums like these are an insult to local government staff who struggle to deliver services every day, with limited resources. Not only is this decision unjust, it undermines public confidence in local councils.

“UNISON will be writing to the chief executives concerned asking them to forgo these excessive pay awards. That’s the only way to retain the trust of staff and communities in how their institutions are run.”

Meanwhile, a Dumfries and Galloway Council spokesperson said: “Chief executives’ pay in Scotland is set nationally by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). COSLA has put further information about the decision on its website.

“This information is published openly and transparently in the annual accounts, which you can find at dumgal.gov.uk.”

According to the local authority documents, Ms Roberts started working at the council in July 2022 and in the year 2023-4 she was paid £163,796. Her pension contributions to the year ending March 31 2024 were £35,966.

For the year 2024-5, she earned £177,009, with £36,544 in pension contributions, as well as a £2645 payment for overseeing the General Election in July 2024.

It comes as Dumfries and Galloway Council are in the midst of a budget consultation in a bid to find £35 million of savings or extra income over the next three years.