UNION leaders have criticised bonuses and payments for extra responsibilities totalling nearly £50,000 given to senior officers at two local authorities.

While the majority of staff at Hambleton and Richmondshire councils are subject to a three-year pay freeze, The Northern Echo has learnt that senior officers received thousands of pounds for the last financial year in honorariums and performance-related pay.

In 2011-12, Hambleton District Council made five performance related payments to senior officers totalling £8,171.

The authority also paid two honorariums over the year – one of £18,400 and another of £8,035.

Richmondshire District Council made three performance-related payments totalling £4,538 for 2011- 12.

The council also paid out an honorarium of £8,035 and another of £1,728. The authority will make a further honorarium this year.

Jane Lithgo, Unison representative for Hambleton and Richmondshire councils, said union members were feeling the squeeze following a three-year pay freeze, which began in 2010.

She said: “There is disquiet among staff that senior officers are getting performance-related pay and honourariums.

“There is the feeling that senior officers have come out with more for potentially doing less and other staff have had nothing.”

However, Phil Morton, chief executive of Hambleton council, one of the men understood to have received an honorarium payment, rejected the criticism.

He said: “Hambleton District Council has demonstrated time and again its commitment to preserving jobs and pay levels in these difficult economic times.”

Mr Morton said performancerelated pay was not a good description for the payments referred to.

He said: “In 2011-12, all senior staff had one increment of their pay grade withheld subject to a satisfactory appraisal. This means the award was not additional pay, but part of the agreed remuneration.”

It is understood the performance payments were withheld by the former shared chief executive, Peter Simpson, and then paid when he left earlier this year.

John Blackie, leader of Richmondshire Council, said the payments were agreed with Mr Simpson by the former administration.

He said that they were paid during the three years of the two councils sharing services, which saved the authorities £2.3m.

“There could have been a justification for paying officers the additional amounts if they took on additional responsibilities,” he added