Somerset Council’s interim chief financial officer (CFO) is set to earn a salary surpassing that of the UK Prime Minister, all while working a four-day week. This arrangement will continue for the next 12 months as the council navigates a difficult recruitment market.
By law, every UK local authority must appoint a chief financial officer, also known as the Section 151 officer, who is responsible for overseeing financial management, ensuring responsible public spending, and safeguarding taxpayers' money.
Since Jason Vaughan’s departure in September 2024, Somerset Council has depended on interim officers to fill this critical role. Maria G. Christofi, formerly from Redbridge Council, initially stepped in, followed by Clive Heaphy, the previous chief executive of Middlesbrough Council.
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Although the council managed to recruit a permanent replacement before approving its annual budget in March, Rachael Sanders from Herefordshire Council withdrew at the last moment for personal reasons. Consequently, Clive Heaphy will continue as interim CFO until April 2027, earning just under £300,000 annually—nearly twice the £167,000 salary currently earned by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
This salary arrangement sparked criticism from Diogo Rodrigues, leader of the Conservative opposition and councillor for Bridgwater East and Bawdrip. Speaking at a recent full council meeting in Bridgwater on May 20, Rodrigues expressed concerns over the financial impact, stating: “The cost of the Section 151 officer is £291,000 for the extension. That is an additional funding requirement of £89,000 just for one year.”
He added, “This will be funded through the council’s capitalisation directive – so we are selling assets to pay for our Section 151 officer. With an interim officer costing us twice as much as the prime minister, there’s clearly no stability.”
The council’s capitalisation directive, which permits the sale of assets to finance day-to-day services and staff salaries, was granted by central government before setting the annual budget, alongside warnings against further use of such support.
In response, Duncan Sharkey, the council’s chief executive, acknowledged the recruitment challenges: “We are working quite hard within the market – we were speaking to consultants just yesterday. It is a very tough market right now, partly due to local government reorganisation locking up many candidates.”
Sharkey elaborated that most recruitment recently has been internal or local and emphasized the council is actively monitoring the market while mindful of budgeting timelines.
Council leader Bill Revans echoed these sentiments, highlighting the national shortage of qualified CFOs and the necessity of paying competitive market rates for interim leadership. “While we would prefer a permanent employee, our priority is strong financial leadership. We have taken significant steps to stabilise our finances and move from a financial emergency into a recovery phase,” he stated.