Devon and Somerset fire chief salary to exceed £200,000

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority has voted to increase the salary of Chief Fire Officer Gavin Ellis to £201,790. The decision follows debate regarding pay metrics and regional comparisons.

Supporters of the increase argued that the chief's pay had fallen below the established 5:1 ratio against the median basic pay, currently sitting at 4.8:1. They also noted that the salary was lagging behind peer services in similar large, rural areas. Opponents argued against using other services as a benchmark and noted that Mr. Ellis's current salary of approximately £194,000 already receives annual increases.

The pay rise will also affect other executive board members, whose salaries are calculated as percentages of the chief officer's pay. The estimated in-year cost is £38,000, excluding pension and national insurance contributions. This decision comes as South West Councils conducts a broader review of remuneration across the service to address pay equity between operational and non-operational staff.