Public Sector Leader Insights

Abstract

Harrow Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Harrow, with a population of about 250,000. Its 2015/16 budget is £588.5 million. It employs about 4,500 staff. A Cabinet comprised of ten elected members (six men and four women, three BAME members), from the majority (Labour) group on the council, including the leader and deputy leader, form the executive. They are responsible for carrying out most of the local authority’s functions. There are five men on the management board: Michael Lockwood, CEO, and four directors, including a people services director. Harrow operates a multiple link between average staff pay and CEO pay, and it is one of the metrics they report and publish annually. The pay multiple—that is, the ratio between the highest paid salary (me) and the median salary of the council’s workforce—is 1.7. It does not have a worker on the board as Harrow is largely trade unionised and this is actively managed, including regular meetings with union representatives between management board members and elected members. A self-organised staff board (‘Making a Difference’ group) provides feedback on staff views and ideas.