Three of the most senior officials at East Cambridgeshire District Council are receiving extra monthly payments because of work associated with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CAPCA).

Chief executive John Hill is benefiting the most with‘acting up allowance’ of £2,409 (equivalent to £29,000 a year) during his tenure as joint acting chief executive of CAPCA.

The extra for Mr Hill is on top of his salary from East Cambs which is shown as between £121,683 and £133,827 per annum. The council’s annual pay policy statement, released this week, shows the minimum and maximum pay for its senior staff.

“Incremental progression through the salary scale will be determined each year as part of the annual appraisal and will be dependent on the individual being awarded a rating of either ‘excellent’ or ‘outstanding’ in accordance with the council’s performance management scheme,” says a report to full council on Thursday.

Mr Hill’s director of operations Jo Brooks – whose salary range is from £78,269 to a maximum of £95,662 – is also enjoying extra because of work for CAPCA.

She is earning an extra £797 per month (£9,500 per annum) by way of an “additional responsibility allowance” in recognition of the work arising from the temporary/part time secondment of Mr Hill to CAPCA. The pay policy statement also reveals she gets an extra £3,553 a year for being an emergency pager holder.

Emma Grima, commercial director, is on a pay scale at East Cambs of between £78,269 and £95,662 but is currently receiving a further £725 a month (£8,700 a year equivalent) as project director for CAPCA.

In her report the HR manager of East Cambs, Nicole Pema, says Mr Hill’s additional pay and Ms Grima’s extra pay is being met by CAPCA.

Her report also notes that an employer contribution of a leased car for the chief executive amounts to £6,292 per annum but that this scheme “is now closed to staff”. Mr Hill also receives BUPA (private health care) at a cost to the council of £810 annually but this scheme too “is now closed to staff”.

On the relationship between the highest paid and lowest grade of staff, the HR manager says the lowest pay scale is currently £16,394-£17,007 per annum. Ms Pema says the council will continue to meet or exceed the National Living Wage which will increase to £8.21 per hour from April 1. The lowest point on the council’s pay scale currently equates to £8.50 per hour and this will rise with the April award to £9 an hour.