MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council has appointed two senior officers to new posts with salaries of up to £93,000 a year as part of its revamped senior leadership team.

Craig O’Connor, who had been a chief officer, and Debra Hill-Howells who had been filling a chief officer post on an interim basis, were appointed following behind closed doors interviews at July’s full meeting of the county council.

The overhaul of the senior leadership team is intended to save £100,000 a year and saw new posts of chief officers heading up directorates of place and community well-being, filled by Mr O’Connor, and infrastructure, which Ms Hill-Howells held on an interim basis, created.

Chief executive Paul Matthews told councillors in June the positions would be offered to existing staff in the first instance to avoid delay and unnecessary expense in advertising and recruiting.

The council has confirmed the pay scales for the new posts are £83,500 to £93,000 a year.

Ms Hill-Howells, who had previously been the council’s transport manager , said: “I’m delighted to be taking the next step in my career here in Monmouthshire. By working closely with both officers and members, we’ll continue striving to enhance infrastructure across the county and deliver meaningful improvements for our communities.”

Mr O’Connor, who had been head of planning before moving becoming a chief officer, said “Monmouthshire is home to vibrant towns, villages, and attractions in every corner of the county, and I look forward to working with our communities to showcase these strengths and support the county’s ongoing development.”

Council leader Mary Ann Brocklesby said: “Both Debra and Craig have built their careers here in Monmouthshire, and we’re excited to continue working with them as they take on these important leadership roles. Their dedication to the communities of Monmouthshire has been evident throughout their service, and I’m confident they will continue to make a positive impact.”

The council’s senior leadership now includes eight positions including three strategic directors and the cheif executive along with four chief officers while the directorate of communities and place and customer and the culture and wellbeing directorate have been deleted.

In April the council agreed pay rises, of around £10,000, over two years, for its most senior officers adding £34,322 to its wage bill this year and a further £65,514 next year but said it had also removed £177,000 from leadership costs this year.

Earlier this year Senedd Member Laura Anne Jones criticised the pay of council chief executives some of whom on larger salaries than the Prime Minister, with further pay rises already confirmed.

Monmouthshire chief executive, Paul Matthews, is set to receive a pay rise of almost £10,000 over the next two years taking the salary for the role to £141,000.

“It is truly shocking that council chief executives in Wales can be earning more than the First Minister or UK Prime Minister, while families across Wales are struggling to keep up with the huge hikes in council tax bills,” she said.