THREE top bosses together cost Herefordshire Council well over £400,000 in salaries, fees, allowances and pension contributions over 2014-15.

The three were chief executive  Alistair Neill (£161,441 including pension contributions), director for children’s well-being Jo Davidson (£121,175 including pension contributions), and director for economy, communities and corporate Geoff Hughes (£133,767 including pension contributions).

All told, the three took £416,383 made up of salary, fees, allowances, and pension contributions - £43,693 less than they collectively earned over 2013/14.

The council is waiting on confirmation of two new “top job” appointments to top jobs, joining director of  resources Peter Robinson appointed last month on a £98,000 salary.

A new director – adults and wellbeing would be on £120,000 as approved by full council,  and a new assistant director (commissioning) adults and wellbeing gets  £80,132.

Latest figures show the extent to which the council has consolidated senior management positions.

From 2013/14 the council paid out a total of £132,458 to four former top bosses as compensation for loss of office.

Those titles involved were assistant director – law, governance and resilience (£34,952 – left April 2013), head of service – adult services (£28,506 – left April 2013), head of special projects (£30,000 – left December 2013), and director of public health (£39,650 – left June 2014).

The council had a deputy chief executive leave in June 2013 having been paid £30,522 for the 2013/14 financial year, a chief officer – finance and commercial went in September 2013 d paid £54,951 over the financial year, and an assistant director – safeguarding and early years left in November 2013 paid  £57,199 over the financial year.

All the totals include pension contributions.

In May last year, an assistant director – people, policy & partnerships left having received £7,898 over the relevant financial year – again, including pension contributions.

Beyond the chief executive,  director for children’s well-being and director for economy, communities and corporate, the council’s other big earning roles over 2014/15 were:

* Assistant director – governance - £97,525

* Assistant director – economic, environment and cultural services - £88,672

* Assistant director - education and commissioning - £88,644

* Assistant director – place based commissioning - £88,641

* Assistant director – homes and community services - £87,991

* Head of community and customer services - £78,136

* Head of safeguarding and transformation - £75,816

Against these figures, 104 compulsory and other redundancies made over 2014/15 cost the council £1,174,831.

This figure includes exit packages agreed in the year but not yet actioned at the year’s end.