More than £110,000 in performance related bonuses was paid to six Black Country council directors, including the former chief executive in just two years, it emerged today.

The payments have come under fire from representatives of staff whose jobs are under threat due to Walsall Council’s budget crisis.

They have described the payments as “staggering” given the excessive basic salaries they were already on and say if the cash had been saved it could at least have alleviated the authority’s current poor financial position.

Last week figures obtained via the Freedom of Information act revealed former chief executive Annie Shepperd, pictured, earned £173,214.05 in 2004/05 and £178,723.80 in 2005/06.

The other five top earners were executive directors Carole Evans, Jamie Morris, Dave Martin, David McNulty and Sonia Davidson-Grant who earned between £112,000 and £118,000 over the two years.

The new information breaks down the salaries to reveal how they were made up of a basic wage, performance related bonuses, car allowance and also election duty payments.

In 2004/05 Mrs Shepperd received £14,650.10 in performance related bonuses. The other five all received £10,000. In 2005/06 her payment rose to £15,475.80.

And £10,578 was paid to Mr Martin, Mr Morris and Mrs Evans. The total bill for all six directors in just two years was £111,859.90 and would have been higher if Sonia Davidson-Grant and David McNulty had not left after the first year.

Unison spokesman Paul Macmanomy said: “It’s just staggering. It’s unbelievable they should have been awarded these bonuses given their excessive basic salaries and these payments have undoubtedly contributed to the poor financial position the council finds itself in now with job losses inevitable.”

Paul Smith, the council’s head of human resources, said performance related pay is common in local authorities and there are no plans to axe the bonuses in Walsall. He added: “I would like to stress that these have been negotiated and agreed with trade unions.”