AN Independent councillor on Bath and North East Somerset Council , who represents the village of Saltford, has called for the council’s chief executive not to be replaced following the announcement of his retirement.

Cllr Chris Warren has raised concerns about the council’s increasing financial costs in recent years, including the salary of its most senior officer.

CEO Will Godfrey announced his retirement last year after six years in the post. Since 2019, he has been earning over £150,000 per annum, plus £31,000 in pension contributions.

Cllr Chris Warren (Independent, Saltford) said: “We need to be looking at all levels on how we can cut waste, reduce the council’s financial bill and most importantly save money for our residents. The fact that the Chief Executive Officer of a relatively small council, in this case B&NES, earns almost as much as the Prime Minister, and the same as a Secretary of State is beyond belief! As custodians of public funds, all councillors should be looking at how we can cut waste and deliver good value for money.”

Cllr Warren is calling for Will Godfrey not to be replaced when he retires in January, but instead for the Local Authority to adopt a ‘first among equals’ approach – where one of the existing council directors is allocated a slightly more senior role than his or her counterparts.

“The ‘first among equals’ model has been known to work well in the business industry,” added Chris, “it demonstrates good value for money and reduces layers of bureaucracy and red tape that many organisations face.”

In addition to the chief executive, Bath & North East Somerset Council currently employs a chief operating officer, two senior directors, a chief finance officer, and six other directors who oversee various departments and functions within the council.