High-performing senior officers at Hertfordshire County Council will be eligible for a two per cent ‘cost of living’ pay increase from April – as well as the chance of a £3,250 bonus.

There are 121 senior officers at the county council – including chief officers, deputy and assistant directors and heads of service – who typically earn between £54,000 and £170,000 a year.

On Monday (February 10) a meeting of the county council’s employment committee backed proposed salary increases for council’s most senior staff.

But only those senior staff who reach ‘fully achieved’ or ‘exceed’ in their annual performance review will qualify for the increase.

In addition, the committee backed proposals for the bonuses payable to those staff who ‘exceed’ in their annual reviews to be increased to £3,250.

Typically these ‘performance-related payments’ are awarded to 10 per cent of the senior staff.

Last year 13 of the eligible 118 senior managers reached an ‘exceed’ rating and were given a ‘performance-related payment’ of £3,000.

The salaries of most council staff are negotiated nationally by the National Joint Council for local government services.

And the decision of the council’s employment committee says the pay award to senior staff may be reviewed, depending on the settlement of the National Joint Council for local government workers pay award.

According to the report to the committee, in November last year there were 15 members of staff at the county council who earned £100,000 or more.

Chief executive Owen Mapley is reported to have an annual salary of around £180,000.