COUNCIL leader Mike Hughes has defended the £10,000-plus rise for whoever takes the top job at Warrington Borough Council.

Adverts for the vacant post of chief executive have been placed in the national press this week with the salary at £120,000 - a huge rise from its current level.

But Clr Hughes says that in the current competitive market place of local Government employment that is the sort of figure needed to attract a quality candidate to fill Steven Broomhead's shoes.

He added: "There is quite a high level of competition, especially as many authorities are in better financial situations than Warrington.

"Warrington deserves a quality chief executive and Steven Broomhead has performed admirably and is going to be a hard act to follow and the kind of quality he laid down as a marker needs to be followed and that is more expensive."