There are 12 Isle of Wight Council senior manager positions with salaries of more than £100,000 a year, new figures show.
The roles that command six figures
County Hall’s chief executive Wendy Perera has full-time equivalent pay of £153,236, eight times more than the lowest paid positions at the local authority on £19,290, according to data obtained through FOI requests.
The next most remunerated roles are the strategic director of adult social care and housing (£129,500), the strategic director of children’s services (£129,500), strategic director – community services (£125,017), director of corporate services (£120,465) and director of public health (£116,278).
Isle of Wight Council officer roles with a full-time equivalent salary of over £100,000 per year
- Chief Executive
- Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and Housing
- Service Director – Commissioning, Adult Social Services
- Service Director – QA & Practice Development, Adult Social Services
- Strategic Director of Children’s Services
- Service Director, Children’s Social Care
- Director of Corporate Services
- Assistant Director of Corporate Services
- Service Director, Finance
- Strategic Director, Community Services
- Service Director, Community, Regeneration and Economy
- Director of Public Health
Around six per cent of the UK’s 34 million workforce will earn above £100,000 in the 2026/27 tax year, according to investment management company, Rathbones.
Jordan: Residents are right to ask questions
Alliance group and council leader Phil Jordan said,
“Residents are absolutely right to ask questions and want to know about senior salaries, especially at a time when many residents and households are experiencing real financial pressure.
“These roles are not typical jobs — they include statutory leadership positions responsible for safeguarding vulnerable children and adults, managing complex services, and ensuring the council meets its legal duties.
“When you look at comparable councils, these salaries are broadly in line, and in many cases lower than the same or similar roles elsewhere.
“It’s also important to recognise that, compared to the private sector, these positions are typically paid significantly less overall — often by a wide margin once bonuses and incentives are considered.
“Recruiting and retaining staff and experienced leaders on the Isle of Wight brings additional challenges due to our geography, which naturally limits the pool of candidates.”
Councillor Jordan added that the Island struggles to recruit candidates with the necessary background and experience for many important job roles, with salaries simply reflecting that situation.
Conservatives point to scrapped shared services
Councillor Ed Blake, leader of the Conservative group, said,
“Since the Independent and Green administration have made the decision to scrap shared services which saw the Island sharing these roles with other authorities, many of which are statutory, we have had to pay the going rate for these senior roles.
“The Isle of Wight Council is amongst the lowest payers for such roles; the chief executive is the second lowest paid unitary authority head in England for instance.
“It is worth remembering that the equivalent competence in the private sector would attract far higher salaries given they are effectively in control of a £250m turnover company.
“A Conservative-led council would seek to get better value for money by once again looking at sharing services and combining roles where appropriate.”
Councillor Jordan added (on 2nd April 2026) that the Alliance and Greens did not scrap shared service arrangements with any other authority.
The director of children’s services and director of public health were shared role arrangements with Hampshire County Council which the latter unilaterally ceased, he said.
In the case of the Section 151 (chief financial) officer, the shared arrangement was with Portsmouth City Council which also ended joint arrangements unilaterally, the Ryde North West councillor added.
No surprise’ but transparency needed
Councillor Chris Jarman, who leads the Empowering Islanders group, said,
“Being quite familiar with the Isle of Wight Council accounts, the figures quoted through FOI are of no surprise to me and are within the range of other local authorities.
“Whilst the Isle of Wight is relatively small, the nature of the respective responsibilities are similar. We are well aware that recruiting officers to work on our Isle of Wight may demand a premium given our location, fiscal position and demographic situation, particularly when coupled with a national scarcity of applicants.
“It is a continuing disappointment that we cannot recruit more locally, and that when we recruit from the North Island many decline to relocate and make our Island their primary home.
“Residents are absolutely right to scrutinise senior management costs, but the council also needs to be fully open and transparent about what these figures represent.”
He added that discussing them on a full time equivalent basis may not represent the actual cost to the council if the respective individual only works part-time.
The Liberal Democrats, Very Broad Church group, Reform UK, Labour and a non-aligned councillor have been approached for comment.
Article edit
2.45pm 5 Apr 2026 – Extra PJ comment added
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
