A SENIOR fire service manager has defended his £35,000 pay rise and said it is “entirely reasonable” given the level of responsibility the role involves.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Owen Hayward is one of two managers at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to see their salary increased to £112,000 at a time when the service is trying to make millions of pounds in savings.

Mr Hayward and his colleague ACFO Jez Rushworth have both come under fire from the Fire Brigade’s Union for accepting the increment.

However, Mr Hayward has defended the decision, saying the salary is in line with the responsibilities of his role.

He said: “It’s consistent with pay elsewhere in the fire service and it seems entirely reasonable to have that level of pay.

“We are there to run the service and the salary is set as part of the promotion.”

Mr Hayward said the salary for the role had been maintained at the same level.

He said: “I haven’t set the salary. It’s the same in the region and if I apply for a post I’m going to take the salary band.”

The union also claim Mr Hayward will retire after a year when he is entitled to the money in his pension, but he has denied this.

He added: “I’m planning on staying in the post for considerably longer than 12 months.

“I’ve got 30 years’ service and I’ve committed to stay for two years.”

Mr Hayward said he was speaking on behalf of himself and Mr Rushworth.

Steve Howley from the FBU said the context of the pay rise made it difficult to understand. He said: “The fact the managers concerned seem to be desperately trying to justify their decision to create pay rises of £35,000 at a time when they are consistently putting pressure on firefighters and control operators to undertake more with a lot less, is a disgrace.

“If the people responsible for running the service think it is acceptable to increase their pay by £35,000 at such a time of hardship, how can they carry any credibility when suggesting to the public and frontline staff that reductions to the service are required?”