Pay Rise for Joint Guildford-Waverley CEO Agreed

Published on: 2 Aug, 2025
Updated on: 4 Aug, 2025

Pedro Wrobel

By Chris Caulfield

local democracy reporter

Guildford and Waverley Borough Council’s chief executive’s new salary will be £169,950 after a three per cent pay rise was agreed – despite the likelihood the two councils will soon be dissolved as part of local government reorganisation.

The 3.2 percent rise is precisely in line with the predicted average UK inflation rate for 2025 but below the average pay rise for employees (excluding bonuses) of around five per cent according to the Office for National Statistics.

Pedro Wrobel was appointed as the new joint chief executive in 2024 having previously been Westminster City Council’s executive director for innovation and change.

He replaced former boss Tom Horwood who stood down from the then £150,000 job due to health concerns.

Other options that had been on the table at the Thursday, July 31 Guildford and Waverley Joint Senior Staff Committee included a 3.2 per cent bump, welcomed by the Union for Local Authorities CEO’s and Senior Managers, as well as a bumper one off £25,500 lump sum that would have ramped the position’s salary up to a £185,000.

Guildford and Waverley Councils formed a collaborative partnership in 2021, primarily to reduce costs.

The council said this would have brought the role in line with similar shared CEO roles such as Broadland District and South Norfolk as well as Boston Borough, East Lindsey District, and South Holland District.

In the end, the committee took all of two minutes to agree on a three per cent rise – the equivalent of an extra £4,950 a year.

The trade union UNISON has already agreed a three per cent award for Waverley Borough Council employees. No agreement for Guildford Borough Council employees has been agreed.

A spokesperson for Waverley Borough Council said: “This decision aligns with the pay award agreed with UNISON for Waverley Borough Council employees, and the councils’ Joint Leadership Team.

“Maintaining a competitive remuneration package is essential to attract and retain high-calibre leadership.

“The benchmarking data shows that many councils with similar or even smaller populations and fewer employees offer higher salaries.

“A modest increase helps to ensure the council remains competitive in a challenging recruitment market.”

Wrobel’s new salary is among the highest received by council bosses in the South East and Surrey – although on a per head of population is the lowest among similar councils with a joint role.

This, the council agues, reflects the significant scale and complexity of the Guildford and Waverley job – with a combined population of more than 270,000, represented by 100 borough councillors and responsibility for a workforce of more than 1,100 employees.

The councils rejected the 3.2 per cent offer as it would have created inconsistency with the rest of the leadership team.

While the one-off uplift to £185,000 would have represented a 12 per cent increase, significantly above local and national pay trends, and was therefore considered inappropriate and difficult to justify financially at this time.

The Dragon approached Pedro Wrobel requesting comment on pay rises at GBC but he declined.

Responses to Pay Rise for Joint Guildford-Waverley CEO Agreed

Peta Malthouse Reply

August 2, 2025 at 12:50 pm

Guildford Borough Council offered its bin men two per cent. They are paid little more than the minimum wage.

GBC needs to pay more to its poorer paid workers whose bill increases, food, fuel etc, impact more heavily on their income.

There are no extras for bin men who have transport, housing and other challenges to do their demanding job starting in the early hours. There is little gratitude from Guildford residents either. A tough job.
Jim Allen Reply

August 3, 2025 at 10:40 am

Wasn’t this position offered at a fair wage range and then bumped up over that range to achieve this person’s appointment? Now the original bumped salary is bumped again. Considering the council’s finances (and where the majority if not all his salary comes from) can we as residents afford it?

Is there no one as competent who will accept less money because he needs the job more? After all, the dustmen will be told “If you don’t like your pay find another job, there’s always someone to replace you.”

Why does this not apply to all employed staff?
Jan Messinger Reply

August 4, 2025 at 10:10 am

I agree with Peta Malthouse. The bin collectors are an essential service we can’t do without. Think most will be shocked at salary of the leader of the council and saddened that the workers struggle in today’s financial difficulties on such low salaries.
Peta Malthouse Reply

August 9, 2025 at 1:03 am

I’m told that his salary is six times that of the refuse and recycling “loaders”, the guys who flog around after the trucks collecting the bins and emtying them into the truck. There are Health and Safety issues and these jobs are not unskilled. These guys are the interface with angry drivers and residents.

Frankly they are paid far too little. With one room and share rents of £850pcm how do they manage to feed and clothe themselves after transport costs?