A little Budget nugget buried deep in the supporting documents will be welcomed by top Mandarins today: The Treasury suggests loosening the checks and balances on their owns salaries. Whitehall warriors once again play Labour like a fiddle…
Labour’s short-lived Office for Value for Money reported on the framework used inside government to control public spending. In its document published today the OfVM recommends:
“Further amendments to the HM Treasury guidance for the approval of senior pay will reduce the number of routine cases requiring HM Treasury approval (such as regularly updating the threshold in line with the PM’s salary and increasing the level salaries of existing roles can be increased by on re-advertising from 2% to 5%). Organisations will be encouraged to apply to HM Treasury for a delegation from the senior pay controls where helpful as part of their senior pay strategy… Decisions on Pivotal Role Allowances for Senior Civil Servants will be delegated to departments, without approval by the centre“
Previously, senior civil service salaries over £174,000 required ministerial sign-off by a politician – the Chief Secretary to the Treasury – and extra allowances of more than £15,000 also required political oversight. Good news for ‘working people’ at the top of the public sector…
