Council deputy chief executive paid three times as much as Prime Minister

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

The former deputy chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea council was paid just under half a million pounds last year – almost three times the salary of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Robyn Fairman was paid £447,476 in 2020-21, according to the TaxPayers’ Alliance which has published its annual Town Hall Rich List.

The list found Ms Fairman, who previously worked as the executive director for RBKC’s Grenfell response, was one of the highest earners in the country.

Mr Johnson earns a little more than £157,000 from his salaries as PM and an MP.

The salary makes her one of the highest-paid council officials in the country, and the second highest-paid council official in London behind Croydon Council’s former chief executive Jo Negrini.

Ms Negrini received the highest pay of any council employee in the country at £613,895 in the 2020-21 financial year, despite Croydon council declaring bankruptcy in November 2020.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers facing a cost of living crisis want to know they are getting value for money from their local authority leadership.

“With households having suffered through the pandemic and now struggling under colossal tax bills, the country needs councils to prioritise key services without resorting to punishing tax hikes.

“These figures will allow residents to judge town hall bosses for themselves and hold their local councils to account.”

Croydon Council did not comment and RBKC has been contacted for comment.

Pictured top: Ms Fairman also previously worked as the executive director for RBKC’s Grenfell response