Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie has called for local authority leaders to show pay restraint.
In an exclusive interview with The Courier, Ms Goldie urged council chiefs to remember they are funded by the tax payer.
A furious spat erupted this week when figures obtained by The Courier using freedom of information legislation revealed that some local authority employees in Fife had seen their wages rise by almost 25% since the start of the global economic downturn.
Those within Fife Council’s chief executive department have seen their wages rise from an average of £58,498 per person in 2005-06 to £72,480 in 2009-10.
Ms Goldie said rises such as that are seen as unacceptable by hard-pressed tax payers.
“These are changing times and many households are struggling to make ends meet,” she said. “Indeed, many families are being forced to cope with redundancy and it is extremely difficult. I think people in the public sector have to set an example.”
Ms Goldie believes civic leaders have a “crucial” role to play as Britain strives to emerge from a crippling economic downturn. However, she sees restraint as the only way to protect public-sector jobs in the long term.
“The Conservatives are calling for a pay freeze for all public sector workers earning over £21,000,” Ms Goldie continued. “That would run over the next two years and is actually all about preserving and protecting jobs.”