First compiled in 2007, Town Hall Rich List 2025 marks the 19th edition of this paper. Every year the TaxPayers’ Alliance has compiled a comprehensive list of all local authority employees receiving total remuneration over £100,000.
For the average (band D) property, taxpayers in England will have to pay a council tax rise of five per cent, or an extra £109, in 2025-26.[1] In Wales, there will be an average increase of 7.2 per cent, or an extra £145.[2] Scottish taxpayers are also facing council tax rises in every authority, with an average increase of 8.8 per cent, or an additional £125.[3] Meanwhile, all local authorities in Northern Ireland will increase their district rates in 2025-26.[4]
This note seeks to ensure transparency surrounding local authority employees receiving over £100,000 in total remuneration. The number of such employees has risen to the highest recorded level.
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Key findings
- In 2023-24, at least 3,906 council employees received total remuneration of £100,000 or more. This is 801, or 26 per cent, more compared to 2022-23. Of these, 1,092 received at least £150,000 in total remuneration, 264, or 32 per cent, more than 2022-23. This is the largest number of people in receipt of at least £100,000 or £150,000 in total remuneration since the Town Hall Rich List began in 2007.
- At least 262 council employees received more than £200,000 in total remuneration in 2023-24. This is 87, or 50 per cent, more than 2022-23.
- The prime minister had a salary entitlement of £172,153 in 2023-24.[5] 238 council employees received a higher salary than this, as opposed to total remuneration.
- A total of 15 councils did not provide accounts for 2023-24. This is significantly lower than previous years, with 59 not producing 2022-23 accounts in time for last year’s note.[6] Wales was the region with the highest proportion of councils not producing accounts for 2023-24. Four councils in Wales, the equivalent of almost one in six, did not produce accounts.
- In 2023-24, the local authority with the most employees receiving at least £100,000 in total remuneration was Westminster with 73 staff, 13 more than the previous year.
- Westminster also had the most employees receiving at least £200,000 in total remuneration with eight. Bromley, city of Edinburgh, city of London, Essex and Wandsworth all had seven employees receiving at least £200,000 in total remuneration.
- The highest remunerated council employee, in 2023-24, was Annemarie O’Donnell, chief executive of Glasgow city council who received £567,317 in total remuneration. This included £209,472 in salary and £357,845 in pension contributions. The amount of pension contribution was due to a strain on the fund costs prior to their retirement.
- The largest bonus given was to the chief executive of Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), a subsidiary of city of Edinburgh, M Dallas, who received a payment of £51,904 in 2023-24.
- Burnley was the only council which had no employees receiving over £100,000 in 2023-24.[7]
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Birmingham, Nottingham and Woking all issued section 114 notices in 2023-24, effectively declaring bankruptcy.[8],[9],[10]
- Birmingham failed to produce any accounts.
- Nottingham and Woking had eight officials each receiving total remuneration of at least £100,000.
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[1] Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2025 to 2026, 20 March 2025, www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2025-to-2026/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2025-to-2026, (accessed 20 March 2025).
[2] Welsh Government, Council Tax levels: April 2025 to March 2026, 20 March 2025, www.gov.wales/council-tax-levels-april-2025-march-2026-html, (accessed 20 March 2025).
[3] Scottish Government, Council Tax by band 2025-26, 25 March 2025, www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2019/04/council-tax-datasets/documents/average-council-tax-per-dwelling/council-tax-by-band-2025-26/council-tax-by-band-2025-26/govscot%3Adocument/CTAS%2B2025%2B-%2BCouncil%2BTax%2BAssumptions%2B-%2BCouncil%2BTax%2Bby%2BBand%2B-%2B2025-26.xlsx, (accessed 25 March 2025).
[4] BBC, How much are your district rates after rise? 14 February 2025, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c334lp0r01jo#, (accessed 4 March 2025).
[5] Edgington, T, & Clarke, J., What does the prime minister do and how much are they paid?, BBC, 10 July 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48497953, (accessed 4 March 2025).
[6] Some of this change will be because of new unitary authorities being created resulting in the total number of councils being lower than in previous years.
[7] Burnley had no employees with total remuneration of £100,000 or more in 2023-24. However, they did have two individuals in the role of chief executive whose total combined remuneration would be more than £100,000. Their total remuneration was £95,228 and £53,157 respectively. The former joined the council from 11 August 2023, and the latter left on 31 July 2023.
[8] Giddings, A, & Rack, S., More to be done on year after council bankruptcy, BBC, 5 September 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdeyjwgreydo#:~:text=A%20Birmingham%20Labour%20spokesperson%20said,make%20%C2%A3300m%20in%20savings, (accessed 4 March 2025).
[9] Casswell, H., What’s changed at the council that went ‘bankrupt’?, BBC, 29 November 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c154jg2px4eo#:~:text=On%2029%20November%202023%2C%20the,obliged%20to%20do%20every%20year, (accessed 4 March 2025).
[10] Woking Borough Council, Government intervention; Section 114 Notice, www.woking.gov.uk/section114, (accessed 4 March 2025).