To some, Eric Pickles was notorious for his hostility towards local government. One economist complained that he knocked local authorities back to being ‘no more than rat catchers and managers of street lighting' – and failed even to provide adequate funding for those services. But among the former communities secretary's most memorable crusades was that against senior management pay.

After using his ministerial powers to block a £240,000 pay packet for the chief executive of the then Audit Commission, Mr Pickles said: ‘The spiralling level of pay and perks for town hall bosses stops here. I want to send a signal to councils across the country that they too can stop paying ridiculous sums to chief executives. Councillors should have the confidence to set sensible salaries that the public deem fit and proper.'