A TOTAL of 11 senior officers at Cheshire West and Chester Council are earning more than £100,000 a year, figures have revealed.

Salary details compiled by the Taxpayers’ Alliance show that the top 11 earners at the authority took home a combined £1,288,223 for 2020/21, the most recent year for which figures are available.

Top of the list was chief executive Andrew Lewis on £162,448, next was the deputy chief executive for people on £138,125, and deputy chief executive for places on £137,675.

The chief operating officer for corporate services took home £126,193, while director of children's social care was on £111,527.

The council’s director of environment and communities pulled in £107,011, director of public service reform was on £101,559, and director of early intervention and commissioning took home £101,502.

The figures showed director of commercial management and delivery was on £101,109, while the director of public health picked up £100,890. The director of integrated adult social care and health took home £100,184.

According to the Taxpayers' Alliance, nationally at least 2,921 people employed by local authorities in 2020-21 received more than £100,000 in total remuneration, an increase of 119 on 2019-20.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: “Taxpayers facing a cost of living crisis want to know they are getting value for money from their local authority leadership.

“With households having suffered through the pandemic and now struggling under colossal tax bills, the country needs councils to prioritise key services without resorting to punishing tax hikes.

“These figures will allow residents to judge town hall bosses for themselves and hold their local councils to account.”

A council spokeswoman said:”The council publishes information on senior officer salaries every year as part of its annual statement of accounts.

"There were 11 officers that were paid a salary of over £100k in 2020-21.
The draft statement of accounts for 2020-21 can be found on the council’s website with the detail on senior officer salaries included.”

A spokesperson for the Local Government Association, added: “Councils are large, complex organisations with sizable budgets and responsibility for more than 1,300 different statutory duties and responsibilities that make a huge difference to people’s lives.

"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.”