The Cambrian News posed the question last week whether Ceredigion County Council’s Chief Executive, Eifion Evans, deserved to earn £146,698 a year – and the answer from readers has been a resounding no.

Mr Evans is set for a £4,500 pay rise this year if unions agree on a new offer for chief officers, meaning his pay would have risen by nearly £30,000 a year since 2021.

Eifion Evans, who has served as Ceredigion’s Chief Executive since 2017 after previously holding the post of Deputy Chief Executive, will benefit from a 3.2 per cent increase in his six figure wage if a pay offer from National Employers, which negotiates pay on behalf of 350 local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, is accepted by the Alace union which represents local authority chief executives and senior managers.

According to Ceredigion County Council accounts, in 2023/24, Mr Evans took home £138,674 in basic salary, up from £133,985 the year before.

In 2024/25, the nationally agreed pay award for Chief Officers of 2.5 per cent boosted the Chief Executive’s pay to around £142,140.

A 3.2 per cent pay bump would put Mr Evans on a basic salary of around £146,689.

With negotiations only started in February, and no final decision made on unions accepting the offer by the end of the financial year, any pay increase agreed will be backdated to April.

In 2021, a bumper pay rise of 14 per cent for Mr Evans was met with fury, as council staff received a two per cent rise in wages.

That year, new pay scales raised Mr Evans’ basic salary from around £117,000 to just over £130,000 at a single stroke.

The latest increase, if approved by unions, will mean Mr Evans will have seen his salary for leading Ceredigion County Council rise by just under £30,000 a year over the past five years, while residents have been left to deal with a barrage of service cuts and double digit council tax rises.

The story received a received a barrage of comments from readers on the Cambrian News Facebook page.

More than 300 of you let your feelings be known.

Debs Blackburne wrote: “So lets get this right they cut bus services down , they binned park and ride so everyone struggling to get to their appointments on time the roads are in a state there is less funding for schools shut loads of council runs homes for elderly, shut smaller local schools take away meals on wheels for elderly support hours are cut for elderly learning disabilities and disabled persons etc

“While this fat cat get paid £30000 more a year in his bank and we have to pay extra council tax were people are already struggling and more hard working people have to rely on food banks what the actual f.”

Lynwen Evans wrote: “I’m sat here, absolutely speechless, and that doesn’t happen very often!!!

“I’m absolutely disgusted!!!!

“I’m sick to the back teeth of these "entitled" Council top nobs!!!

“Who do they think they are! While people in Ceredigion are struggling to pay their Council Tax, these self important people know they can screw us left right and centre!!”

Simon Garner wrote: “And council tax has risen 30 - 33% over the last 5 years, we are being ripped off and made to look fools.”

John Clarke said: “They cut services increase council tax and yet they get a pay raise while others have to suffer?

“Isn’t it funny though to think it’s one of the only jobs that you get a pay rise for doing a bad job ?

“If it was someone in the lower ranks in the council they would got the sack

“What is the saying in the gold command you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours!!!

“It’s an insult to everyone that pays council tax if he gets a pay rise.”

Keith Pugh wrote: “Disgusting. No he's not worth it just for sitting behind a Desk. 40,000 would be more than enough. It's the tax payer that has to pay increased community tax just to fund his ridiculous salary.”

Karen Davies said: “Ridiculous, no person is worth that. Salary should be capped. He ought to try existing on our wages. I'll swap with him for a month.”

Dennis Griffiths said: “Absolutely disgusting, I think residents should refuse to pay council tax until our services are reinstated and the pay rises stopped.”

Steve Bigwood wrote: “This man has no shame. His arrogance has no boundaries. He is surrounded by sycophants and 'yes' men. He has no respect for his position and even less for the hard working population of Ceredigion. The best thing he could do for this county is to resign and I would be very sure he wouldn't be missed.”

Cara Yarwood said: “Absolutely disgusting when people are struggling to pay their council tax and just make ends meet.”

Andz Stinton wrote: “Makes me sick!! Yet you put our council tax up with less for our money and now you've increased parking fees in Cardigan which is having a huge impact on our highstreet! Should be ashamed of yourself!!”

Allan Higgs said: “The way Ceredigion Towns are going, He's not even worth £30,000 never mind having a pay rise, But it's getting the same in other Welsh areas absolutely waste of time and money.”

Mike Hughes said: “Nobody is worth that kind of salary to provide a service to the public.”

Jane Campbell said: “No. He is not. He is not delivering on key areas. Definitely overpaid.”

Christopher Evans wrote: “Absolutely disgraceful this man does not deserve a pay award, our rise in council Tax this year is paying for his big bonus. Cambrian News please continue to making them all accountable to the Residents of Ceredigion.”

Luciano O’Donovan said: “What a joke, it would be funny if it wasn't so serious. He should be paid according to his performance, which is not fit for purpose.”

Kirsty Mckenzie said: “Absolutely ridiculous! Most people don't get a payrise and haven't done for years so how is he allowed to have so many, especially since he's already massively overpaid.”

Gareth Owen wrote: “We're supposed to pay extortionate monthly council tax payments so this man can earn this money. Absolute joke. Some people don't earn that in 5 years!”

Gwenan M Lyttle said: “Gwarthus. It’s all well and good raising council tax etc when you earn this amount in a year, it’s peanuts!! But how do normal citizens afford these rises all the time.”

Liz Haynes wrote: “Ceredigion is a laughing stock. We have no refuse collection and no buses for children no NHS dentist no nhs. We can’t afford to upgrade hospitals schools roads etc but the Ceredigion councils can have a pay rise.”

Billy Vice wrote: “So schools closed, shops closed, care homes closed, colleges closed, bus services cut, council tax up, less bin collections, less services but more for their wages... something not adding up here.”

Christopher Owen however felt the rise was reasonable, saying: “A 3.5% increase is reasonable and inline with inflation.

“The absolute sum is also reasonable for someone managing a £200m budget. I make no comment on their competency or performance, merely that I would want someone running a complex £200m business to be remunerated appropriately.”