A CAMPAIGN group has slammed the "gold-plated pay" of Somerset West and Taunton Council's top earners.

The TaxPayers' Alliance says people do not expect to cough up for "sky-high salaries" after it emerged four directors at SWT are on over £100,000 a year and a further 11 members of staff are on almost £70,000 or more.

Joe Ventre, digital campaign manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “Council bosses' pay packets continue to add to the burdens of local taxpayers.

“The cost of living crisis is a catastrophe for households’ finances, and the last thing residents expect to pay for is these sky-high salaries.

“Local authorities must start delivering value for money and prioritise frontline services over gold-plated pay.”

Mr Ventre was speaking following the publication of a report to tomorrow's SWT executive committee meeting (Wednesday).

The hefty earners identified in the report are:

  • The chief executive, who enjoys a salary of £126,875, topped up by payments when he acts as returning officers at elections, pension contributions and professional subscription payment.
  • The director of internal operations, pockets £104,291, as well as contributions to her pension and professional subscription payment.
  • The director of housing and communities is also on £104,291 with pension contributions and professional subscription payment.
  • The director of development and place, receives £104,291 and payment of professional subscription.

A further 10 assistant directors and the homelessness commissioning lead bank £67,790 or more with add ons - the assistant director of housing and communities is paid £80,176, although that will reduce to £67,790 at the end of May; the assistant director of strategic place planning collects a market factor of an extra £10,365; and the assistant director of finance's salary is boosted by an additional £5,425.

The pay 15 earners' pay adds up to £1,213,614 without extras such as pension contributions, subscription payments and payments for overseeing elections.

The chief executive's pay is around six times the council's lowest paid employees, who are on £10.81 an hour. (The National Living Wage is £9.50).

The average salary across the whole authority is £32,573.82, roughly a quarter of the CEO's.

Pay increases for staff last April were 1.5 per cent for senior officers and 1.75 per cent for other members of staff.

The report to councillors says: "Somerset West & Taunton Council is committed to ensuring transparent, fair and equitable pay and reward arrangements that provide value for money and enable the recruitment and retention of employees with the skills and motivation to deliver high quality services for the council and its communities."