THE chief executive of Essex County Council is to take a five per cent pay cut on her £285,152 salary.

Joanna Killian, 45, had previously been challenged to take a ten per cent cut by Brentwood MP Eric Pickles, who is Communities and Local Government Secretary.

At a county council meeting, Julie Young, head of the council’s Labour group, asked council leader Peter Martin if he agreed with Mr Pickles that council chief executives need to do their bit to cut back on costs.

Mr Pickles had said in a speech at the Tory party conference that council chiefs on more than £200,000 could afford to take a 10 per cent pay cut, and those earning over £150,000 should take a five per cent cut.

In his written response, Mr Martin said: “I agree with the Secretary of State that the public sector needs to show pay restraint. I also agree with Lord Hutton, chairman of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, whose report reiterates that the public sector performs vital functions and that ‘there is therefore a compelling public policy objective in being able to recruit and retain the best possible people for these crucially important jobs’.”

Mr Martin said he and Mrs Killian, who is the fourth highest-paid council boss in the country, had already discussed the need for her salary to better reflect the current economic circumstances.

He also announced the chief and deputy chief officer panel had agreed last month to set up an independent panel to look at the issue of senior pay in the council, which will also include three members, including a member of the opposition.

Mr Martin added: “The chief officer panel will meet in December, as part of our budget activity, to finalise the agreement and it is not appropriate for me to pre-empt the outcomes of the panel’s work.

“In the meantime, the chief executive has already agreed to cut her pay by five per cent.”

Mrs Young said: “I’m pleased the council has responded to my question by announcing a pay cut to the chief executive’s salary. Workers across the public sector will bear the brunt of the cuts in George Osborne’s budget and it’s only right that those at the top play their part.”

But she added: “The chief executive of Essex County Council earns over £285,000. I’m sure local people would like to know why Eric Pickles’s own local council hasn’t taken his advice on board and cut her salary by ten per cent.”

In 2009/10 Mrs Killian earned £285,152, a combined salary of £237,000 for her joint role as chief executive of the county council and Brentwood Council, plus a £47,380 pension. The year before she earned £311,456.