Plaid Cymru has attacked plans to offer a £175,000 salary for a new chief executive of the Cwm Taf Health Board.
Sera Evans-Fear, Plaid Cymru’s Prospective Assembly Candidate for Rhondda, has asked Plaid AM Leanne Wood to raise the pay deal in the National Assembly. She wants the role re-advertised at a lower level.
The present chief executive Margaret Foster is retiring next year.
Sera, a councillor in Treorci, said: “I’m astounded that the health board is even considering offering a salary for the new chief executive at a rate of more than £30,000 higher than the Prime Minister and £40,000 more than Wales’ First Minister.
“Have they heard about the economic crisis and the public sector cuts? Plaid Cymru is keen to ensure that our front line public services are offered as much protection as possible with the horrendous cuts that have been inflicted on the Welsh public sector by the ConDem government in London.
“There’s no doubt that the Cwm Taf Health Board area is an area with high need and faces a lot of challenges, but if it is to protect those health services in remote communities which are really important to people, they have to consider the long-term high rate salaries and benefits of their top staff. That principle should apply right across the public sector.
“I’ve asked my Plaid Cymru colleague Leanne Wood to raise this in the National Assembly to see if action can be taken to ensure the health board advertise this position at a more reasonable level.”
Leanne Wood, who represents South Wales Central, has highlighted the high levels of pay enjoyed by some top executives in the public sector, including those at Welsh universities.
