Northampton regeneration chief earned £1.3k A DAY during six-month stint

A Freedom of Information request to the authority has found the interim director of regeneration, Ian Gray, would have earned more than £200,000 during his six-month term last year – assuming he worked every day.

Between July and December the consultant was paid £1,307 a day as the temporary head of the department responsible for overseeing major new developments in the town – such as the stalled Greyfriars scheme.

And the information request also found the same department continues to employ a regeneration consultant, Paul Walker, at £720-a-day.

Labour opposition leader, Councillor Danielle Stone said she was “shocked” by the wages, which were not published publicly.

She said; “I cannot believe we have not been told this before.

“Why should we have to get this information through an FOI?

“Ian (Gray) was a jolly good chap, but no one is worth that sort of money.”

News that the borough council has spent thousands on just two consultants over the past two years came as the county council was criticised for employing a consultant on a £650-a-day wage.

Christine Reed was made redundant by Northamptonshire County Council only to then be brought back on the hefty day-rate to complete a major IT project, the BBC reported.

The county council said Ms Reed was “re-engaged” in a position “entirely different” to the role she had been made redundant from.

Northampton Borough Council, on the other hand, is yet to comment on the wages of Mr Gray and Mr Walker.