Ceredigion council staff have reacted “furiously” to the revelation that the authority’s chief executive has been handed an “offensive” pay rise of 14 per cent, a union has said.

The Cambrian News revealed last week that councillors had approved plans to give chief executive Eifion Evans a 14 per cent pay rise – bringing his annual pay to £130,000 – with just three members voting against the plans.

Unison Cymru Wales said the pay rise has left council staff – who have been offered a pay rise of an average of just 1.75 per cent – “stunned.”

Alison Boshier, Unison branch secretary said: “Ceredigion council staff were stunned to read about the chief exec’s bumper pay day.

“A 14 per cent pay rise is so offensive when you consider care workers, school support staff, refuse collectors and many others who kept vital services going throughout the pandemic, have been offered a real-terms pay cut.

“The chief executive has been completely insulated against the new National Insurance tax and energy price rises that the rest of us face.

“Only a handful of councillors opposed the chief executive’s pay increase and the other local politicians must reflect on whether they are promoting fairness in Ceredigion.”

Councillors heard at the meeting last Thursday that “a pay deficit had grown” after former chief executive of the council, Bronwen Morgan, who stood down in 2017, continually turned down pay increases.

Alison said that Mr Evans “would do well to follow his predecessor’s example”.

“She showed a unity with the workforce by turning down past increases because she didn’t want her pay to be so far above the pay levels of her staff,” she added.

Unison said that “years of pay freezes and pay caps driven by Westminster have left local government staff more than 20 per cent poorer than in 2010”.

Over the last month, school support staff, carers, refuse workers, cleaners, librarians, highways maintenance workers, and many more, have been voting in Unison’s pay ballot.

The union recommended members reject the offer.

“No doubt this will be foremost in mind as Unison members consider what steps they take about their own pay offer,” Alison added.