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City Hall sees number of staff on six-figure salaries soar from 16 to 28
Peter Dominiczak, City Hall Correspondent7 Jul 2011
The number of people on six-figure salaries at City Hall has nearly doubled in just over three years, it emerged today.
Boris Johnson was asked to explain figures which show that 28 staff members in the Greater London Authority are earning more than £100,000, compared with 16 three years ago.
The Mayor this week approved salary increases for two aides. Cultural adviser Munira Mirza has become mayoral adviser on culture and youth and has seen her salary go from £82,200 to £127,784, an increase of more than 50 per cent.
And Richard Blakeway, adviser for housing, has seen his salary increase by a third, from £82,200 to £110,000. In the document announcing the pay rises, the reason given for Mr Blakeway's increase was "to ensure it is at a level commensurate with role and in line with other posts at that salary".
Sources close to the Mayor today pointed out that the salary increases reflect increased work loads and added responsibilities. They also said that the Mayor has streamlined the operation at City Hall, saving millions.
Last week it was revealed that the number of Transport for London staff earning more than £100,000 has risen by 50 per cent in a year. TfL's annual accounts showed the number of six-figure earners had gone from 251 to 379.
Ms Mirza, 33, is an Oxford graduate and has a PhD in sociology from the University of Kent. She became cultural adviser in 2008 and has been involved with the Cultural Olympiad.
In 2008 she married Dougie Smith, an ally of David Cameron, who in 2003 admitted that he ran a company called Fever Parties, which hosted orgies in Mayfair and country homes.
Assembly members today accused the Mayor, who earns £143,911, of breaking his "value for money promises".
Labour's John Biggs said: "Public sector workers across the country have had their pay frozen but the salaries of Boris's top advisers have rocketed."
Green Party Assembly member Darren Johnson said: "I'm amazed that we now have almost double the number of people on over £100,000 in City Hall since this Mayor came to office. I think in an age of austerity with rising living costs it shows very bad judgment."
A spokesman for the Mayor said: "This is a frugal administration that makes savings wherever possible. This is shown by the fact we are heading for a four-year freeze in our share of the council tax whereas under the previous administration it increased by 153 per cent."
Reader views (48)
....And one of the comments from the pro Bozo camp at the time of the election against Ken was that Ken paid people too much.... Now not only is Bozo a waste of space without policies but an expensive waste of space...
- Headhunter, London, 08/07/2011 08:48
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All in the family and a well-shaped cutie, which is all that counts for the intoxicated, incompetent and wealthy of the Bullingdon club tendency!
- Tilak, London, 08/07/2011 08:02
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The Culture Adviser must enjoy a good time given her man organised orgies for the elite in Kensington and elsewhere.
Married to a non-believer who does "dirty things" will assist her immensely when she endeavours to influence the youth of London.
Well done Barking Boris.
- Kandy, Glasgow, Scotland, 07/07/2011 23:36
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A very racist statement if ever I have heard one, so if you are so well versed on the cultural rules of England - let's here them - I am astounded that you would make a comment like that on an open forum, perhaps you need to profess your 'English' cultural views to your local branch of the BNP as that is where your unintelligent racist right wing views belong.
I am white and British and embrace the cultures that make London the vibrant place it is today.
- Tracey, London, 07/07/2011 15:15
Ms Mirza is yet another professional asian, making a career based solely on her ethnicity..who on earth can think she is worth £128K a year as a 'cultural advisor' ? you can bet your ass its not the indiginous culture she'll be advising on, but some cuckoo one foisted on us by immigrants..
- Squiz, IslIngton, 07/07/2011 12:27
Moderator,
Why ARE you allowing these racists too post these comments ?
- Bob, London, 07/07/2011 20:58
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"Funny" how a lot of the racists writing comments on this story haven't left comments on the phone hacking scandal where white journalist have been hacking into the telephones of families of murder and bomb victims.
- Bob, London, 07/07/2011 19:53
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you can bet your ass its not the indiginous culture she'll be advising on, but some cuckoo one foisted on us by immigrants..
- Squiz, IslIngton, 07/07/2011 12:27
A "Cultural Adviser" ? Its not us that need Cultural Advisers...we are British...time to tell her to get down to Tower Hamlets and get them to stop wearing veils and national dress...this is England and we know what the cultural rules are!
-Bill, Islington
Moderator,
You allow people too write this?
- Bob, London, 07/07/2011 19:51
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LES and frankly showing an ethic face when many other civil servants have had significant increases.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 13:27
Hansel,
LES clearly has an agenda! I wouldn't use it to wipe my posterior!
- Bob, London, 07/07/2011 19:43
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Not a fan of the racist comments on these posts.
Looking at her CV - how on earth did she get this job in the first place. In a city with so many more people with greater experience - what are her qualifications. Also feedback over the past few years has questioned her ability - intellectual and academic - but little real knowledge and experience. Oh well I guess City Hall has money to burn.
The moral of this story - ken or boris or whoever succeeds them at some point - its a fat cat arena.
- JC, SE1 2AA, 07/07/2011 19:42
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A very racist statement if ever I have heard one, so if you are so well versed on the cultural rules of England - let's here them - I am astounded that you would make a comment like that on an open forum, perhaps you need to profess your 'English' cultural views to your local branch of the BNP as that is where your unintelligent racist right wing views belong.
I am white and British and embrace the cultures that make London the vibrant place it is today.
- Tracey, London, 07/07/2011 15:15
Well said Tracy!
All the racists on this forum complain about (legal) immigrants(dark skinned people at the "top" of the list") who claim benefits but they also complain if they work in well paid positions like Munira Mirza .
Finally, a message to whoever moderates these messages.
Some of these comments are clearly racially motivated and yet you have not censored them yet in the past I've written far , far lesser offensive comments regarding some of the comments that have racial over tones and you (whoever you are ) have refused too allow them to be seen by the readers.
I think the racially motivated comments that you've allowed to be seen by the readers prove once and for all you (whoever you are) have an obvious agenda.
- Bob, London, 07/07/2011 19:26
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Oh of course I see now. She can't be sacked because of her race. The privilaged many. An expensive youth.
- Michael, Kensington, UK, 07/07/2011 18:13
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She landed this plum job as a 'cultural advisor' solely because she is 'black' i.e. brown, and well connected. That's it. The smug, arrogant look on her face says it all.
- liz, London, 07/07/2011 17:56
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crazy. i just seen girls in lakeside earning the minimal wage. how this muppet and the rest of them can justify this is beyond me. sheer greed.
- steve, grays, 07/07/2011 17:31
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@Pale Crowdsource,..I dislike the denial of freedom of speech by the brainwashed marxist educated left.I don´t see people who are denied the freedom of speech as bigoted.I see them as gagged.
- dixie, old town, 07/07/2011 17:22
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She certainly doesn't look like she is worth six figure for "youth & culture" ! And a 50% pay increase nowadays !
- Michael, Kensington, UK, 07/07/2011 17:14
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"She looks like a kid out of school.Did Boris get her the job as a favour for a favour.Just asking.
- dave, london, 07/07/2011 15:48"
Probably went to the same Oxford college.
- Steve, Brentford, 07/07/2011 17:08
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As a voter who backed Boris and Cameron, I'm really disappointed in this. So she was involved in the Cultural Olympiad - how many people know anything about what that is delivering?
There's no justification for paying these salaries, and the job should be readvertised at half the salary, and genuinely open to all candidates. stop ticking boxes Boris!
- LondonKen, London, 07/07/2011 16:26
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Articulate Kat, you make the following terrfic point:
"Culture and orgies go well together, except when we pay here wages for so little is done for real people. Come on hear the voices."
Oh I do hear them, I suspect you do too.
PS. dixie, what about - "Political correctness is a concept invented by the bigoted right to excuse their racism."? How does that scan for you?
- Pale Crowdsource, Sunny Haringey, 07/07/2011 16:25
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If I remember rightly all you lot used to moan about "Ken's Cronies" and how they all had their noses in the trough.
What about this crew then?
Boris' Buddies make Ken's administration look like rank amateurs when it comes to digging-in to the public purse and lining their pockets.
Pay rises of 50 per cent ?!! In today's financial climate? How many workers out there who are lucky enough to have a job after "streamlining" get a 50% increase to reflect the additional workload they are asked to take on?
I say make them all apply for their job again before any pay-rises, and allow others to apply to ensure best value is achieved.
This is a scam, and we are the mugs.
- Fresh, London, 07/07/2011 16:10
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So..because the BBC don't get to show the Premier league matches this means that the UK taxpayer is contributing in some significant way to Torres et al's salaries?
Silly me, thinking it was the club that paid salaries, which are then generously supplemented by income from merchandising and image rights (i.e. from private commercial enterprises) that made up the lion's share of a Premier league footballer's wealth. Whether they deserve it or not is another question entirely, but it's a little disingenuous to compare that with the six figure salaries paid to Town Hall officials which are *completely* and *unquestionably* funded by public money.
- HB, London, UK, 07/07/2011 15:55
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She looks like a kid out of school.Did Boris get her the job as a favour for a favour.Just asking.
- dave, london, 07/07/2011 15:48
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@Bill - Feel free to make sense at any point.
@Dom - Sky and Murdoch have ensured that the face of television has changed and not in a good way. The BBC used to be a public service but the greed of the FA ensured that they can no longer afford to show premier sporting events. Because of SKY they need to constantly pay more and more for less and less when it comes to Sport and Movies (this is why BBC hardly show any movies anymore). When they do, we all pay.
So any fan that comes out with the same, you choose to pay for it argument, is deluded.
Also, at least we get some value out of the money spent of civil servants. Torres et al add nothing for their 200k a week.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 15:29
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@Hansel - So the BBC now pay towards premiership wages & transfers or are they part of Sky? Can you explain how this works?
- Dom, London, United Dustbin of Europe, 07/07/2011 15:25
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Racist is a word invented by the far left to make people feel guilty and stifle debate.
- dixie, old town, 07/07/2011 15:16
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@ Bill, Islington
A "Cultural Adviser" ? Its not us that need Cultural Advisers...we are British...time to tell her to get down to Tower Hamlets and get them to stop wearing veils and national dress...this is England and we know what the cultural rules are!
A very racist statement if ever I have heard one, so if you are so well versed on the cultural rules of England - let's here them - I am astounded that you would make a comment like that on an open forum, perhaps you need to profess your 'English' cultural views to your local branch of the BNP as that is where your unintelligent racist right wing views belong.
I am white and British and embrace the cultures that make London the vibrant place it is today.
- Tracey, London, 07/07/2011 15:15
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@hansel:
It is not for you to decide what you think is a "racist sub text " You have just complained about my post. You need to understand that my quote was taken directly from George Orwell - "Animal Farm" - in that "some animals are more equal that other animals" I think Hansel that you have lost your Gretel !
- Bill, Islington in London, 07/07/2011 15:04
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@Stephen C - No she is not a friend but I dislike biased reporting with a racist sub-texted.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 14:46
Hansel, I've just re-read the article and I couldn't see any racist sub-text. But I'm sorry you're not her friend.
- Stephen C, LONDON, 07/07/2011 15:03
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ES again has managed to chuck the most commented article
'UK's deportation system broken, say human rights campaigners (21 comments)'
to the back of the queue.
What has this woman done for our culture, worse still why is she payed so much, when none of us has heard of her? Culture and orgies go well together, except when we pay here wages for so little is done for real people. Come on hear the voices. Stop this enormous wage bill get rid of these type of people. Your not wanted unless you do and we see you doing something for us!
- Kat, London, 07/07/2011 14:58
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Your have just removed a comment of mine because of a complaint. My quote was taken from George Orwells "1984"
In which he wrote "Some animals are more equal than other animals" Where is the complaint/abuse in the extract ? If the complainant does not read, or understand, English literature then that is their problem and should not be a cause for censorship.
- Bill, Islington in London, 07/07/2011 14:58
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What a joke
All these rises which we have to fork out for!
Dear dear Boris, very naive of you there. Not in touch with the people of today
Still, it's nice to know you have another 4 years to look forward to in 9 months time, with the largest walkover in mayoral history.
- Steve, Labour idiot, 07/07/2011 14:55
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@Dom - You also contributed to the £50m paid for Torres and others also. Sky has ensured that the wages at the BBC have soared becuase they can't hold onto good people, therefore you are indirectly making a mandatory payment.
@Stephen C - No she is not a friend but I dislike biased reporting with a racist sub-texted.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 14:46
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Think how much Red Ken paid,& how Boris had to pay out millions in redundancy because of the contracts Red Ken signed.
- peter, london, 07/07/2011 14:39
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@ Ian - You pay for Torres through gate and sky receipts - don't be naive. Although I do aprpeciate that is by choice, footballers wages have damaged media in this country beyond repair.
@ Bill - Misrah is the 'Arts and Cultural Advisor' to the Mayor, therefore has input and steer into public art, galleries and large projects. Poor reporting by the LES and frankly showing an ethic face when many other civil servants have had significant increases.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 13:27
Not a friend of yours is she Hansel?
- Stephen C, LONDON, 07/07/2011 14:24
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Hansel, London - "Worth pointing out Fernando Torres get's paid £200k PER WEEK"
Worth pointing out that Torres wages are paid by football fans through ticket sales & Sky Sports. If you don't watch on Sky or attend the game, you are not paying his wages. You do not have to do either & therefore you are not contributing to his salary.
Whereas we are all paying for the 28 £100K earners through general taxation. No choice but to pay towards these salaries, unless you avoid paying tax
- Dom, London, United Dustbin Of Europe, 07/07/2011 14:22
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@ Ian - You pay for Torres through gate and sky receipts - don't be naive. Although I do aprpeciate that is by choice, footballers wages have damaged media in this country beyond repair.
@ Bill - Misrah is the 'Arts and Cultural Advisor' to the Mayor, therefore has input and steer into public art, galleries and large projects. Poor reporting by the LES and frankly showing an ethic face when many other civil servants have had significant increases.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 13:27
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We are all in this together ?
- chris, london, 07/07/2011 13:21
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"nothing against Mr. Torres personally but whilst we pay people like him that sort of money, why should people who work hard and are smart earn money also."
Hansel, "we" don't pay him but we do pay overpaid civil servants like these.
- Iain, The Underworld, 07/07/2011 13:21
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"the Cultural Olympiad" - what on earth's that then?
I'd also like to point out that there's a huge difference with "being paid", and "earning". It strikes me that the majority of these public figures just get paid, while the vast majority of us Plebs actually have to go out and EARN our money. Never ignore the subtle difference between the two!
- John Bull, Londonistan, 07/07/2011 13:14
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No wonder Ms Mirza looks so smug. Nice to see that it's not all doom and gloom in the public sector, but quite how the Mayor can justify this (even to himself) is mystifying.
- Bah, London, UK, 07/07/2011 13:13
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With rich boy Boris in charge,what did you expect.Boris does not understand working or middle class families,as he was born with a silver spoon stuck up his ----.
- dave, london, 07/07/2011 13:06
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Worth pointing out Fernando Torres get's paid £200k PER WEEK, regardless if he scores or not and a £100k through the summer break.
He didn't work like a dog to go to oxbridge and doesn't work 12-14 hour days. he works about 5 hours per week plus training.
nothing against Mr. Torres personally but whilst we pay people like him that sort of money, why should people who work hard and are smart earn money also.
- Hansel, London, 07/07/2011 12:54
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This is disgraceful, there really is no need to pay these very high salairies in spite of the weasel word justifications.
Boris, you have let us down.
- Stephen C, LONDON, 07/07/2011 12:50
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@Hamilton Straker - why would *anybody* on a large salary to begin with merit a 55% pay rise? Mirza's husband used to be a speech-writer for David Cameron - cronyism seems to be the passport to outrageous wage hikes.
- Helen, West London, 07/07/2011 12:37
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Ms Mirza is yet another professional asian, making a career based solely on her ethnicity..who on earth can think she is worth £128K a year as a 'cultural advisor' ? you can bet your ass its not the indiginous culture she'll be advising on, but some cuckoo one foisted on us by immigrants..
- Squiz, IslIngton, 07/07/2011 12:27
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And what about the mega pensions . These must be capped .
I remember going for a high paid job at City Hall years back and all they seemed to be interested in was my views on their diversity policy . I did not get the job thank goodness .
- remus, london, 07/07/2011 12:23
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Helen (west London ) why don't you tell the truth, This woman who's paid so much . Has she done anything to warrant this amount of money in City Hall . or is this stupid country paying her for what she learnt, not what she does, pay the people for what they do not what they did in college.
- Hamilton Straker, Ealing West London, 07/07/2011 12:21
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"Ms Mirza, 33, is an Oxford graduate and has a PhD in sociology from the University of Kent. She became cultural adviser in 2008 and has been involved with the Cultural Olympiad" - The Cultural Olympiad, described in the press last week as "the Olympic arts festival no one has heard of". She's obviously worth every penny.
- Helen, West London, 07/07/2011 12:05
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I reckon Bob Crow should demand his members pay increases be linked to Boris Mayoral Advisors increases!!
And we must remember the frequent turnover of Mayoral Advisors which adds even more costs for Londoners.
And then Boris calls for new union laws to fight ordinary workers!!
Never mind the gravy Borismaster has only 9 months to go before it ends.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 07/07/2011 12:04
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Time for swingeing cuts in HULL CH. Wake up you council tax payers. Frugal admin claims the Mayor. Make him/her the first to go.
- albert hall, hove england, 07/07/2011 12:01
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