THE NUMBER of council officials receiving more than £100,000 annually has sky-rocketed in Surrey and Hampshire since 2017 – despite ratepayers being hit with inflation-busting council tax hikes over the same period – analysis by the TaxPayers’ Alliance has revealed.

In 2017/18, Surrey County Council remunerated eight employees with salaries in excess of £100,000, and neighbouring Hampshire County Council seven. But the latest data available shows that by 2019/20, the number of high-earners had grown to 22 in Surrey and 24 in Hampshire.

This despite both authorities increasing their share of the council tax bill for the average Band D home by 9.16 per cent over the same period.

Council tax bills have continued to rise sharply in the subsequent two financial years, with Surrey County Council now demanding £1,549.08 a year from the average Band D ratepayer, and Hampshire County Council £1,350.45 a year.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance analysis also reveals:

* Surrey County Council’s executive director for adult social care Simon White was one of the UK’s top 20 highest paid council employees in 2019/20, receiving a total pay package of £290,382 – almost double the £152,909 cost of his predecessor's package two years earlier.

* A total of four Surrey County Council employees cost taxpayers more than £200,000 in 2019/20.

* The number of Hampshire County Council workers costing taxpayers more than £100,000 has mushroomed from seven to 24 in two years, but just one cost the authority in excess of £200,000 – chief executive John Coughlan, whose £224,929 package was five per cent more than paid out in 2017.

* The biggest pay package in the south east was received by West Sussex’s chief executive – £427,653.

* East Hampshire District Council remunerated three employees with in excess of £100,000 in 2019/20, the same number as in 2017/18. Its highest paid employee was chief executive Gill Kneller, whose £156,674 pay package was 6.5 per cent more than the £147,105 dished out to EHDC’s chief executive in 2017.

* Waverley Borough Council also handed out £100,000-plus salaries to three employees in 2019/20, the same number as in 2017/18. Its highest paid employee is chief executive is Tom Horwood, whose pre-tax pay was £129,389. With the employer’s contributions to the pension fund, which are not received by the employee, the £152,734 total cost is 11.1 per cent more than the £137,464 cost of the borough’s executive director in 2017.

The figures quoted include base salary, expenses, bonuses, compensation payouts, and other payments to council employees, from which they pay tax and employee’s pension contributions. The figures also include the cost of employer’s pension contributions, which supports current pensioners and is not paid to the individual employee.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “While councils were plunged into tackling the pandemic, many staff will have more than earned their keep, but households have nevertheless struggled with enormous and unpopular council tax rises.

“These figures shine a light on the town hall bosses who’ve got it right, and will enable residents to hold to account those who aren’t delivering value for money.”