The leader of Rochdale MBC has defended a decision to award chief executive Jim Taylor a £40,000 pay rise.

Cllr Colin Lambert said the local authority has the ‘lowest cost council management team in Manchester' after it was revealed Mr Taylor will receive the pay rise to bring his salary into line with other chief executives in the area.

The council said the increase is for over taking over the lead officer role from Salford MBC for managing the Greater Manchester Police Administration and police commissioner and will not be funded by the council.

An independent review by consultants the Hay Group recommended the increase to bring Mr Taylor's salary into line with other chief executives in the Greater Manchester area.

‘In 2010, the council's leadership team consisted of 24 officers at a cost of £2.63m,' said Cllr Lambert. ‘Since this administration took power in 2010 we have dismantled and replaced an outdated and expensive management structure.

‘Today we have a leaner, more efficient core group of six senior and four assistant directors. This has provided us, as ratepayers, with a saving of £1.48m, which is a financial reduction of 56%.

‘After years of uncertainty, we now have got in place a team who will provide us with the stability we need to improve services. They are the right team to steer us through the difficult times and upcoming challenges the borough faces.

‘It will cost £62,000 to implement the recommendations of this review, which will guarantee immediate and continued savings. We will have the lowest cost council management team in Greater Manchester.'