Council Officials on More Than £100,000 at Record High: Watchdog

A Union Jack flag flutters in front of the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben, in London on Feb. 1, 2017. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

A tax watchdog group has revealed the number of town hall bosses receiving more than £100,000 in payouts is the highest in nearly a decade.

More than 3,100 council leaders had received the hefty remuneration in 2022-2023, according to the Town Hall Rich List 2024 published by the Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA). The group also reported that 829 officials have been paid over £150,000.

The salaries and payouts, reported to be the highest since the 2015 edition of the list and the second-highest on record, come as many councils in the UK struggle to balance their budgets.

In order to save money, a number of councils have approved council tax hikes, reduced care services and had to sell capital assets.

Among the councils, which imposed the largest council tax increases in cash terms in 2024-2025, are Birmingham, Slough, Thurrock and Liverpool.

“The new financial year has seen council tax soar across the country, and taxpayers will notice that top brass pay has simultaneously surged. Local authorities provide crucial services and residents will want to make sure they are getting bang for their buck with their ever-increasing bills,” said John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

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Mr. O’Connell said that residents can use the reported salary figures to “ask whether precious funds are really going towards frontline services, or whether town hall bosses can get better value for money.”

The TPA reported that 59 councils failed to provide accounts, which means the number of town hall bosses receiving  six-figure payments could be as high as 3,637.

The watchdog revealed that a Hampshire council staff member—the now former director of culture, community and business services Felicity Roe—received £651,158. The sum was made up of £120,133 in salary, £121,203 in compensation for loss of office and £409,822 in pension payments.

This is despite the council’s struggle to balance its budget, reported last year.

In October 2023, the Hampshire City Council reported a £132 million funding gap and budgets “stretched to breaking point.”

Leader of Hampshire County Council, councillor Rob Humby said that the local authority had to reduce its spending by over £0.6 billion, but the costs have been still rising dramatically.

The TPA also reported for the first time that 175 officials across UK councils had received over £200,000. The chief executive of Edinburgh International Conference Centre, a subsidiary of Edinburgh council, Marshall Dallas was the recipient of the largest bonus, a payment of £72,280.

Regional Breakdown

With an average of nine council employees receiving at least £100,000 per council, the watchdog provided a regional breakdown of numbers.

Among the councils with the most employees who received remuneration in excess of £100,000 were Lincolnshire in East Midlands and Essex in the East of England.

In London, Westminster Council and Tower Hamlets were on the list. In the North, the TPA named Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool and Cumbria.

Meanwhile, Liverpool was among the local authorities which imposed the largest council tax increases in cash terms in 2024-2025.

In 2022, the government appointed commissioners to Liverpool council to oversee the authorities’ financial management. The move came after the council’s progress report had revealed “serious shortcomings, particularly around financial management and senior leadership.”

Tax Freeze

The TPA analysis also revealed that 188 council employees were being paid more than the UK prime minister, whose salary entitlement was £164,951 in 2022-2023. More than 500 officials received a remuneration in excess of this.

The alliance has called on local authorities to “ensure value for money for residents by freezing council tax.”

Harlow, Castle Point, Harborough and East Cambridgeshire councils froze the council tax in 2024-2025.

“Councils should learn from the rare examples where rates were frozen to find out how they can achieve similar results next time round,” said the TPA grassroots development manager Benjamin Elks.

Freezing the council tax proved to be an impossible measure for many local authorities across the country, who have cited the pressure of rising demand for services, the squeeze of high inflation, austerity and underfunding.