COUNTY Hall's most senior employees have been awarded ten per cent pay rises.

The increase, which comes at a time when 500 county council care assistants are battling against wage cuts, means chief executive Joanna Simons is now earning £173,766 - a pay rise of almost £15,000.

By contrast, care assistants tending to the needs of Oxfordshire's elderly and vulnerable, are almost certain to walk out on strike because their weekend pay is being cut by 12.5 per cent.

They earn a basic salary of £15,825.

The four heads of service, Richard Dudding, John Jackson, Keith Bartley and John Parry - the directors respectively for environment, social and community services, children and community safety - now each earn £122,106.

Assistant chief executives Stephen Capaldi and Paul Miller will both be paid £101,235.

Last night, the news angered union leaders who were still negotiating with County Hall to stave off industrial action.

The carers are paid £7.78 an hour, but get double for working on Sundays.

However, the authority wants to reduce their wage from double time to time-and-a-half.

This year, rank-and-file county council staff can expect three per cent pay increases at best, according to union bosses.

Oxfordshire Unison branch secretary Mark Fysh said: "The pay awards made to senior staff will enrage many members of staff here.

"Home support workers who look after the elderly, sick and disabled earn £15,825 a year and they have just been asked to take a 12.5 per cent pay cut - how do you think they will feel?

"But if they become upset they are vilified and called militant."

Ms Simons' pay is small beer compared to her predecessor Dr Richard Shaw - now chief executive of Surrey County Council - who is paid £207,843.

The pay increase, effective from January, was the first pay review for three years.

County council leader Keith Mitchell said: "To hire people of the required quality, Oxfordshire County Council has to pay the going rate.

"Oxfordshire's senior officers are paid at rates comparable with similar-sized councils across the country.

"They work with high levels of responsibility and to a very high standard.

"A review of senior manager pay was undertaken last year which found Oxfordshire's senior manager pay was below the South East average for councils.

"In response to this (it was decided) to bring senior manager pay into line...by awarding a 9.3 per cent pay rise to the chief executive and a ten per cent pay rise to directors."

Oxford City Council declined to say how much interim chief executive Brian Dinsdale - who joined the authority in January - was paid.

However, his predecessor Caroline Bull, who quit the Town Hall at Christmas, was paid £114,348.

Finance director Mark Luntley earns £81,133, physical environment director Sharon Cosgrove is paid £79,498 while Michael Lawrence, housing director, earns £77,867.