Town Hall Rich List 2024: Number of staff earning more than £100,000 at Portsmouth City Council revealed

The town hall rich list 2024 has revealed a “surge” of council staff earning six figures despite widespread reports of strained services and rising council taxes nationwide.

The town hall rich list, published by The Taxpayers’ Alliance (TRA), provides a council-by-council breakdown of council employees paid more than £100,000 in the 2022/23 financial year.

The number of council employees who received £100,000 in total salaries and other compensation had risen to the highest level since 2013/14.

The TPA said that despite stretched budgets and struggling services, there has been a “surge” of senior officials earning six figures over the last 12 months.

“At the same time that councils have seen boosts in revenues through council tax rises and increased funding from central government,” it added.

Key findings from across the UK in 2022/23

At least 3,106 council employees received more than £100,000 – an increase of 347 since the year before.

The number of employees in receipt of £150,000 or over rose to 829 – the largest number since the rich list began in 2007

188 council workers had a higher salary than the Prime Minister’s entitlement (£164,951) and 557 received total remuneration over this.

The highest remunerated employee was a director of Hampshire County Council, Felicity Roe, who received £651,158.

Portsmouth City Council

There were 15 members of staff earning salaries above £100,000 – an increase from 13 the year before.

The city council’s current chief executive, Natalie Brahma-Pearl, took over from David Williams in September last year. His salary was the highest at £196,620 with a total remuneration of £232,620.

Anne Marie-Mountifield, the chief executive of Solent Local Enterprise, was the second highest earner with a salary of £168,541 – which increased by £15,155 since the year before.

In the most recent budget-making process, the council raised council tax by some 4.99 per cent however, no services were cut.

Southampton City Council

The current SCC chief executive Andrew Travers took over from Mike Harris who resigned in January of this year due to the “significant toll” the council’s finances were having on his health.

The council balanced its most recent budget thanks to £121m of government support while increasing council tax by 4.99 per cent.

The chief executive’s salary was the highest, taking home £167,403 with a total remuneration of £197,893.

Eleven staff members earned over £100,000 salaries, one less than last year.

Hampshire County Council

Some 38 members of staff took home salaries worth over £100,000 in the county council, five more than in the previous year.

The council are currently exploring ways to bridge an expected budget gap of £132m in 2025, some plans include cutting back on adult care social grants, homelessness services and public transport.

Felicity Roe, the council’s director of culture, community and business, was the highest-paid staff member in the rich list as she received £651,158. This was made up of her pension payment (£409,822), loss of office payment (£121,203) and her salary (£120,113).

Other six-figure salary staff members included the chief executive Carolyn Williams (£236,968) and deputy chief executive Steve Crocker (£178,968).

Hampshire County Council said a number of senior officers deliver services to other authorities and rates of pay had to be competitive in order to “recruit, retain and motivate the best people, and to deliver value for money for the taxpayer”.

Following the release of the Town Hall Rich List, councils nationwide have stressed the importance of attracting top-tier professionals to compete with the private sector. The determination of pay, terms, and conditions for certain senior managers is overseen by elected councillors, with pay policies in place.

A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: “Councils are large, complex organisations with sizeable budgets.

“It is important that the right people with the right skills and experience are retained to deliver this important work.

“Senior pay is always decided by democratically elected councillors in an open and transparent way.”