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- 1,022 people in town halls now earn more than £100,000 a year. Up 27% from 818 last year.
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- At least 16 people in local authorities earn more than the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who earns £194,250 including his MP’s salary.
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- Over 115 people in town halls are earning more than £150,000 a year.
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- 182 people in local authorities are earning more than Cabinet Ministers, who earn £137,579, including their MPs’ salaries.
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- Full data available for each council.
The Town Hall Rich List 2009 reveals the number of people in Town Halls earning more than £100,000 per year in 2007-08. New research from the TaxPayers' Alliance shows the shocking truth about top public sector wages, including information on every local authority.
As workers in the private sector face the prospect of tough pay deals or unemployment, it is increasingly clear that the rewards for senior staff in councils remain sky high. Generous remuneration for senior staff is difficult to square with complaints from councils that their resources are stretched, and may make it more difficult to control pay for other council staff. As we look ahead to what will surely be some of the hardest financial conditions many councils have seen in decades, it is more important than ever that the Town Hall gravy train is brought to a halt and that taxpayers' money is used for public services, as intended, instead of the personal enrichment of a select few on the council payroll.
This report provides a detailed list of the 1,022 most highly paid people in local authorities last year, who received £100,000 or more of taxpayers' money.
To read the full report, click here (PDF).
Key Findings
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- 1,022 people in town halls earn more than £100,000 a year.
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- At least 16 people in local authorities earning more than the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who earns £194,250 including his MP’s salary.
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- Over 115 people in town halls earn more than £150,000 a year.
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- 182 people in local authorities are earning more than Cabinet Ministers, who earn £137,579, including their MPs’ salaries.
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- There are 8 people in town halls earning above £200,000 a year.
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- The people who are on our list in both 2006-07 and 2007-08 had an average rise of 6%. This is three times the current 2% government target for growth in pay for ordinary public sector workers.
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- The average total remuneration of the 1,022 people on the list is £122,184 per annum. This works out at almost £2,350 a week.
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- The 10 most highly paid people in local authorities earn on average around 10 times the amount earned by a regular police officer, nurse or soldier.
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- The number of people earning above £100,000 in local authorities is increasing rapidly. There were 818 people on these remuneration packages in 2006-07, compared with 1 ,022 people in 2007-08, an increase of about 27%.
The full report can be downloaded here (PDF).
Maria Fort, Policy Analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance said:
“The size of council executives’ pay and perks is staggering, and every year the cost continues to rise. The fact that executives who have overseen increases in council tax, cuts in services and major policy failures are getting ever more generously rewarded is frustrating for taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet. With bills rising and services stagnating, in too many town halls there is a culture of rewarding failure. Councils must start tightening their belts – we’re in a recession and many of these rewards are financially unsustainable and morally indefensible. Despite calls for transparency by all three major parties, and an obligation to come clean with taxpayers, many council executives are still secretive about their massive pay packets.”