The chief executive of Waltham Forest council has received an inflation-busting pay rise, as many low paid public sector workers deal with a one per cent pay incease.

Martin Esom's new basic salary of £195,000 was agreed by the staffing committee at Waltham Forest Town Hall, chaired by deputy leader councillor Clyde Loakes, following a recommendation to reward him for overseeing cuts.

The £15,000 increase is 6.7 per cent above the rate of inflation, currently at 1.6 per cent.

The committee also agreed to hand deputy chief executive for environment and regeneration, Shifa Mustafa, who left the post on August 29, a pay-off totalling £140,447.

Her departure is part of a management restructuring in the council’s regeneration department.

Mr Esom has now been placed on a 'tier four' pay grade, the highest bracket, following a recommendation to amend his pay for successfully overseeing cuts.

According to the committee agenda, the council have said it is "inappropriate" to keep Mr Eson on a point 1 grade of £180,000 as his appointment is not new and he has been successful in achieving savings of £65m since 2010. 

UNISON branch secretary, Dave Knight, heavily criticised the move, saying: "Misery for ordinary council workers appears to be regarded as a success by Waltham Forest Council'.

“Council workers have seen their pay frozen and their living standards fall.

"We have seen nearly 1,000 jobs lost from Waltham Forest Council and we have seen our public services being cut.

"In our view those on the top salaries of the council should at least suffer the same pay restraint as ordinary workers who are out there every day working in libraries, social care and environmental health.

"The decision to increase the chief executive’s pay by over 8% whilst refusing to support a fair pay rise for the council workforce shows an astonishing level of contempt for the council’s employees.

"Council employees are entitled to feel angry and aggrieved at the way that the Council is only too happy to splash out on paying consultants and increase highly paid staff’s salaries."

The council has been approached for further details.