A ‘temporary’ boss who has cost taxpayers £779 a day at a cash-strapped council has been in his stand-in job for two and a half years, the Echo can reveal.

Southend Council claims it recruits temporary staff as a stop-gap for vacancies or during periods of reorganisation, but bosses have admitted their stand in head of adult commissioning, Mike Boyle, has been employed on a interim basis since June 2010.

As the authority is expected to announce further cost-cutting measures in the coming months, we can reveal that in 2011-12, Mr Boyle would have been paid a staggering £187,154.40 based on his daily rate for 48 weeks.

This is significantly more than the council’s own chief executive Rob Tinlin, who was on a basic salary of £148,881, and Prime Minister David Cameron, who is on £145,500.

Mr Boyle, who works five days a week, was even on a higher rate than his current £779-a-day rate when he worked for the authority briefly in 2007, before he was drafted back three years ago.

Council leader Nigel Holdcroft said that the authority has been unable to find a permanent head of adult commissioning since 2010.

Chief Executive Rob Tinlin said: ““When the post became vacant again 2010 , we were unable to recruit to this position, so Mike returned to fill the post in the interim, from June 2010 at a reduced rate of pay.

“Over the period Mike has been acting for the council, this and other posts have been filled on temporary arrangements to facilitate service reviews and a review of the senior management structure.”

Southend Council would not say what Mr Boyle’s original daily rate was before it was scaled back, but a slice of it will be paid to recruitment agency Capita, who provided My Boyle.

Opposition leaders called on the council to make better use of their money in the wake of more cuts as the council prepares to have its Government cash slashed again in 2013.

Unions fear about 90 jobs could be axed at the authority next year.

Martin Terry, leader of the opposition Independent Party, said: “We are looking at more cuts this year and when you set that against the backdrop of these huge salaries it makes me angry and I’m sure will make Echo readers angry.

“The council should be looking at training and using some of their existing staff to temporary fill in rather than bringing in staff at a ridiculous cost to the taxpayer.”

Graham Longley, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in Southend, said: “Interim staff is quite acceptable providing they are temporary and once they go beyond what is a reasonable timeframe for a temporary member of staff, they should not be in post.”

“I’m surprised no-one has picked up on the fact that Mr Boyle has been in his role so long in terms of his temporary contract.”

Interim members of staff are not entitled to pensions or holiday and sick pay, and Southend Council claims that it has reduced its numbers of temporary staff over the past few years.

Councillor Nigel Holdcroft, leader of Southend Council, defended the authority.
 

He said: “When we employ interims they have always been for a good reason, either because we have been unable to find a suitable appointment or where we anticipate that there is likely to be a reconstructuring of areas of the council.


“Councils are under financial pressure and on occasion it’s in the financial best interests to fill a post with an interim because it gives us greater flexibility.


“We can only appoint somebody full-time if we can find the right person to fill the role and we are confident that role is going to be retained in any future organisation."