Metro Mayor of the Liverpool city region Steve Rotheram is set to see his £81,000 a year salary rise over the next two years. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) is set to raise Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram’s £81,000 annual salary.
In May 2021 Mr Rotheram secured a second term as Metro Mayor in a comfortable election victory. Five years ago his salary was £77,500 a year and this has since been raised to £81,000.
On Tuesday the Liverpool ECHO reported the CA is about to sign off on proposals that will raise the ceiling on Mr Rotheram’s pay grade up to £95,000 a year. His pay will rise over the next two years within this band. However, LBN understands his salary will not come close to the £95,000 ceiling.
The change to his salary band is in line with the National Joint Council (NJC) agreement for local government workers. A CA remuneration panel report referred to Mr Rotheram’s “significant responsibilities”. It also talked about how he is charged with delivering “complex major infrastructure projects”.
It added his role had become “high profile, which was demonstrated by the increasing practice of Government utilising the unique role of the combined authority to administer and be responsible for significant funding streams”.
In terms of pay Mr Rotheram is behind other local Government leaders. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is on £110,000 a year. However, Mr Burnham is also Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and covers 10 local authority areas.
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Mr Rotheram presides over six local authority areas – Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton. In West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin is Metro Mayor for an area covering five local authorities and she takes home £105,000 a year.
The Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor role was created in 2017 as part of a devolution deal for the city region. Mr Rotheram has responsibility over areas such as transport, housing, skills and employment, energy and the environment and homelessness.
One of eight children, Mr Rotheram was born and raised in Kirkby to a stay-at-home mum and forklift truck driver dad. After leaving school with few formal qualifications, he began a bricklaying apprenticeship. He went on to run his own building company before working for the Learning and Skills Council.
His political career began when he was elected to serve as a councillor in 2002, representing Fazakerley on Liverpool City Council. He held the ceremonial title of Lord Mayor of Liverpool during the city’s European Capital of Culture year. In 2010 he was elected Labour MP for Liverpool Walton.