SUFFOLK'S new top boss will get around £140,000 a year but YOU face footing the bill for their carpets and curtains, The Evening Star can reveal today.

SUFFOLK'S new top boss will get around £140,000 a year but YOU face footing the bill for their carpets and curtains, The Evening Star can reveal today.

Despite earning upwards of £2,500 a week the new chief executive at Suffolk County Council could be eligible for more than £9,000 to help them relocate and redecorate.

That bill will controversially be footed by Suffolk tax payers.

Suffolk County Council is currently advertising for a new chief executive after the current position holder Mike More announced he will be leaving for another role in April.

If the successful candidate is a new recruit not currently living within 25 miles of the council's head offices at Endeavour House, Ipswich, they will be eligible for the “relocation allowances scheme”.

This will allow them more than £6,500 towards the cost of moving as well as more than £2,500 for new carpets, curtains and other fixtures and fittings at their new pad should they decide to up sticks.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “This is an excessive amount to pay out for relocation, and it is offensive to the Suffolk families and pensioners struggling to pay their council tax in rocky economic times.

“£140,000 is a generous salary in anyone's book, backed up by generous pension and bonus deals, so the least we could ask is for the chief executive to pay for their own relocation.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk County Council said: “To ensure we secure the highest calibre of staff, a relocation package is available in line with other employers.

“The scheme applies to new recruits who are moving within 25 miles of their work base and where the reason for the movie is not linked to a partner moving to the Suffolk area.”

The relocation allowances scheme is also available to all county council staff fulfilling the relevant criteria.

Up to 12.5 per cent of an employees' salary, calculated from a maximum figure of £53,288, is available towards property sale and purchase including professional fees and legal costs, survey fees, stamp duty and bank interest on bridging loans.

Up to 5 pc of salary is also payable towards alterations or replacements of curtains and carpets, other fixtures and fittings and disconnections or connections of services.