Council chief executives could see a £19,000 pay raise during tax hikes and service cuts, sparking controversy.
A politician, Mark Griffin, spoke out, mentioning a decade of cuts that forced tax increases. COSLA looked at CEO pay, wondering if it was fair, and their review might lead to big raises during a cost of living crisis.
CEOs across Scotland could get more money, with taxpayers paying over £600,000 extra. Each CEO could get about £19,000 more, while council workers only got a 3.6% raise last year yet COSLA is thinking about even bigger CEO raises.
Some plans would give CEOs much more, up to £26,000 extra, and council leaders will study the plans more. Leaders feel CEO raises might affect other high salaries.
A union leader called the raises unfair, saying workers struggle for fair pay. A Green MSP said workers would be shocked and mentioned low pay for essential staff, worrying about sending the wrong message.
Council taxes rose a lot recently in Scotland, with some councils raising taxes by 10%, and Orkney might raise them by 15%. Councils say they need more money to fix budget problems and want to protect services.
Some CEOs already earn over £200,000, and a politician thinks big tax rises are not needed. Council sources claimed the raises are about tax freezes, and COSLA said leaders will keep studying pay.