I always find it extraordinary that while council chief executive salaries have long been in the public domain – and as a result exposed to being pilloried – the same does not apply to other parts of the public sector, in particular the NHS and higher education.

Take the latter. A survey last week by the University and College Union ‘as part of its ongoing campaign for greater transparency at the top of UK universities' found that the average vice-chancellors' pay was £260,290 including benefits and pensions in 2013/14. The lowest of the top 50 was £284,000. According to last September's CLG Commons committee report on local authority chief officers' pay the median salaries for chief executives of district councils are £114,000, English unitaries £157,000, metropolitan councils £174,000, counties £182,000 and London boroughs £184,000.