Audit chief's pay rejected

Ministers have blocked the approval of a £240,000 salary for the head of the
city’s Audit Commission, declaring the time of highly paid public chief
executives is over.

The commission wants to replace Steve Bundred, a former Labour politician,
according to the Daily Mail.

Bundred earned £254,000 in 2008 according to the paper.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles rejected the salary. He said said the era
of “spiralling level of pay and perks for town hall bosses” had to end.

“By blocking this massive salary for the Audit Commission, I want to send a
signal to councils across the country that they too can stop paying ridiculous
sums to chief executives…Councillors should have the confidence to set sensible
salaries that the public deem fit and proper.”

Further reading:

Quango ordered to cut £240,000 salary for top job

Audit Commission freezes fraud charges