Council top brass earning more than the Prime Minister

The TaxPayers’ Alliance have released their Town Hall Rich List

The Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council earned £60,000 more than the Prime Minster in 2023-24. The salary for Dr Martin Reeves was £232,875, compared to the £172,153 allowed for the Prime Minister.

When pension contributions were included Dr Reeve’s package was worth £279,217 during the year.

The figures have been revealed by the TaxPayers’ Alliance. Their Town Hall Rich List, released this week, found that across the country a record 3,906 officials received more than £100,000, with 1,092 local government employees receiving over £150,000.

Dr Reeves total package with the county council places him 24th in the list of the highest paid local government officers in the country.

At Oxfordshire County Council 33 other officers have packages which paid more than £100,000 during 2023-24.

Cherwell District Council’s Chief Executive at the time, Yvonne Rees, received a package worth £210,805 until she left the authority in January 2024.

The district council employees another seven officers who are noted as receiving packages worth more than £100,000.

In West Northamptonshire, one unitary council oversees the services of both county and district councils in Oxfordshire. Here, Chief Executive Anna Earnshaw is recorded as receiving a salary of £187,000 – £45,000 less than Oxfordshire County Council’s Chief Executive. Her total package is worth £224,000 when her pension payment is included.

In total West Northamptonshire employs 25 members of staff earning more than £100,000.

The news comes as Council Tax payers face hikes in their annual bills, alongside a raft of other increasing pressures on household costs.

John O’Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s a record breaking year in many respects for taxpayers as the country hurtles towards a record tax burden, all while the public sector continues to feather its nest.

“As our latest town hall rich list demonstrates, the number of council staff with six-figure remuneration packages has surged at the same time that services are being slashed and council tax is being hiked above inflation.

“Local residents can look up their own authority in our list and judge the quality of services and their council tax bill against the pay packets of their council bosses.”