THE top earners at Herefordshire Council have been revealed in this year's Town Hall Rich List.

Published by the Taxpayers' Alliance, a pressure group formed in 2004 which campaigns for lower taxation and public spending, the list shows some council staff took home six-figure salaries and other compensation in the year 2021-22.

The Town Hall Rich List, first compiled in 2007, assembles the most comprehensive list of council employees in the UK in receipt of over £100,000 in total remuneration in a single financial year.

In Herefordshire, the council's chief executive Paul Walker was paid £143,000, the list reveals.

The chief financial officer earned £111,000, with pension contributions of £20,000 pushing the total to £131,000.

The director of economy and place earned £43,000, with £68,000 compensation for loss of office and pension contributions of £8,000 pushing their total to £119,000.

The solicitor for the council/monitoring officer was paid £98,000 with pension contributions of £11,000 bringing their total to £109,000.

And acting director of public health Dr Rebecca Howell-Jones was paid £89,000, with pension contributions of £16,000 bringing her total to £105,000.

ALSO READ:

The news comes at a time of rising council tax bills across the country.

The Taxpayers' Alliance said that for the average (band D) property in England, council tax will rise by 5.1 per cent, or an extra £99, in 2023-24.

In Herefordshire, the average council tax bill for a band D dwelling is £1,862.50. This includes the council’s own tax charge of £1,786.61 (for a band D dwelling), approved by full council on February 10, 2023, the precept for the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia of £264.50, and the precept for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority of £94.40.

Nationally, at least 2,759 council employees received more than £100,000 in total remuneration, of which 721 received £150,000 or more, the Taxpayers' Alliance said.

The managing director of Guildford council received the highest remuneration of any council employee in the country, raking in £607,633 in total remuneration, including a £107,195 salary, £339,158 pension contribution and £5,688 in benefits.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers facing record council tax rises want to be sure they are getting value for money from their local authority leadership.

“Many authorities continue with extremely generous pay and perks, including bonuses and golden goodbyes, while local people are facing a financial squeeze.

“Residents can use these figures to hold their local town hall bosses to account.”