WEYMOUTH Tory councillors have produced what they claim is the ‘evidence’ that the new councillor leading on finance at Dorset Council has said he would cut executive pay.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service, which provides news stories for the Dorset Echo and other local media outlets, challenged Cllr Peter Dickenson to back up his claim, made at a council Cabinet meeting, that the new Lib Dem administration were planning to cut executive pay by 15%.

Cllr Simon Clifford, who heads up finance, said at the time that Cllr Dickenson’s claim was not only unfounded but “bizarre.”

Now Preston and Littlemoor Conservative councillor Louie O’Leary, who represents the ward with Cllr Dickenson, has found a leaflet from Cllr Clifford from the time he was contesting a by-election there.

It makes no specific mention of a 15 per cent pay cut –  although Cllr Clifford has repeated his belief that Dorset Council has more higher paid staff than anywhere else in the South West.

Said Cllr O’Leary: “Mr Clifford rightly or wrongly clearly made claims of cutting high salaries at Dorset council when running for Littlemoor and Preston by-election back in January before he moved to stand in Chickerell.

“We are not necessarily against pay reviews but they have to be realistic and not scare away good officers. The Lib Dems made a lot of big pledges in the elections around river and ocean sewage, GP and dentists, cutting high salaries, not putting up council tax by the maximum amount, building council houses again, more bus services etc – all very populist stuff and I wish them every success, but I just hope they haven't made a load of promises to get elected they can't keep.

“The Lib Dems after years of endless political point scoring are clearly struggling already, having to defend comments they made now they're not the party of opposition."

Said Cllr Clifford, who represents Chickerell: “It is extremely embarrassing for the Conservatives that when challenged to produce evidence I made this claim in a Lib Dem leaflet [15% pay cut for senior officers] they had nothing to back up their allegation.

“I am committed to honouring our real election promises and we are doing that at pace.

“We said we would reinstate a £2m fund to support hard-pressed families through the cost-of-living crisis and this week we voted to do this. “We said we would review the Conservative’s unpopular summer coastal car park charges and we are currently doing exactly that.

“We said we would cut the number of politicians taking a salary from the Council and we have now scrapped ten posts saving more than £100,000 a year.

“I have not suggested a 15% pay cut for senior executives in any party leaflets, but I have personally campaigned that there are more high paid staff at Dorset Council compared to similar sized councils in the South West.

“While the Conservatives make unfounded and highly misleading claims, the new Lib Dem team is focussing on delivering our promises to our residents and businesses.”

Dorset Council's own figures show chief executive Matt Prosser earning £185,000 with five executive directors on between  £134,112 and £150,628 and 19 corporate directors on between £95,577 and £123,103 –although some of these roles are for Public Health Dorset which works for both Dorset Council and BCP Council.