Arrangements for a new deputy chief executive at a Suffolk council to be considered next week include the option to increase the salary for the role by £10,000 to almost £149,000.

The officers' report into the recruitment of a new deputy chief executive at Suffolk County Council is recommended for approval by councillors at a meeting next Tuesday.

The option for the £10,000 increase if the right "quality" of candidate is not attracted with the current £138,950 pay for the role is proposed in the report.

This current pay is deemed by officers to be "not that competitive" in a "challenging recruitment market".

The report states: "It is advised that early recruitment engagement in the market utilises the current salary but is used to inform whether this will attract the quality of candidates sought.

"If not, it is requested that the Committee agree to the option for flexibility around this salary to be given to the chief executive, in consultation with the leader of the council to increase this figure, if necessary, by up to a further £10,000."

Nicola Beech

According to the report, benchmarking has shown that the current lower salary falls within the pay bracket for a wide range of similar posts.

The new employee, whose full title will be deputy chief executive and executive director of corporate services, will help to implement the strategic priorities and agenda of the council and be accountable for functions such as finance, HR and IT.

If the report's recommendations are approved by the council's staff appointments committee next Tuesday, the position will be advertised from January next year and it is likely the role will be filled after March.

The staff appointments committee will decide who to appoint and the decision can only be finalised if there are no objections from the council's cabinet – not including objections that are deemed to be "not material or not well founded".

Suffolk County Council's chief executive, Nicola Beach, earned a salary of £149,627 in 2019. This is the salary included on the council's salary page.