A COUNCIL officer may have doubled his salary by scooping a top job with Burnley's new housing company, it was claimed today.

Independent councillor Harry Brooks, who is challenging the appointment of town hall men to top-paid posts with the company which will manage all Burnley's council houses from next year, says newly-appointed housing director Paul Buckley will get a minimum pay rise of £20,668 - equivalent to £397-a-week - plus a new car.

He said the housing officer who helped spearhead the transfer process was selected from a shortlist of three after non-town hall staff were barred from applying.

Coun Brooks resigned from the board of Burnley and Padiham Housing after fellow directors appointed Mr Buckley's boss Ian Saville - currently receiving £45,500, according to the Independent Group leader - to the £60,000 post of chief executive. He has taken the issue to social housing regulator, the Housing Corporation.

He said the internal appointments did not provide the opportunity of open competition and flew in the face of Housing Corporation's warning to be wary of appointing people closely associated with the transfer process. Advice had been given that posts should be subject to open advertisement to reflect their importance, the need to appoint the best possible candidates and the need to be seen to be acting fairly and openly.

Coun Brooks said: "These officers have clearly stepped on to a gravy train" and Mr Buckley's appointment illustrated the issue in a dramatic way. He said that with the council he was a lower middle management man on a salary scale of £23,217 to £25,332.

As director of housing with the new company he had moved to the range of £46,000 - £50,000, plus a new car.

Coun Brooks said he had held talks with the Housing Corporation, which had called for more information.

He said: "My purpose for pressing the issue is to shed light on what I consider to be a disgraceful business and hopefully to reduce the chances of other areas being short-changed in future in the way I believe Burnley has been short-changed."

Directors said good salaries had been offered to attract the best possible applicants.

Mr Saville, who with Mr Buckley spearheaded the transfer process, said the internal appointment system had been agreed by the board some months ago following professional advice from its consultants.

It was not considered there had been any need to consult the Housing Corporation on the issue, although talks had taken place after Coun Brooks had raised the matter.

"At this stage they have not ruled one way or the other," he added.

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