Staffordshire Council employee tops 'town hall rich list' after being paid £457,500 in one year

A Staffordshire Council worker who was paid £457,500 in 12 months was the most highly paid council worker in the country last year.

The official, who has not been identified, topped a ‘rich list’ of 4,733 council bosses who received more than £100,000 last year, including bonuses and pension contributions, under figures revealed by the Taxpayer’s Alliance.

Staffordshire Council said the employee in question was the subject of a non-disclosure agreement, and therefore could not comment. But it said the figure did not relate to an officer’s salary.

The council’s chief executive Patrick Flaherty was the second-highest paid member of staff in the West Midlands, being paid £263,544 during the 2024/25 financial year.

The Prime Minister is entitled to a salary of £179,406 a year, although it is understood that he does not draw the full amount.

The study revealed that 374 council officials across the West Midlands were paid more than £100,000 last year.

Birmingham Council, which has recently emerged from effective bankruptcy, had the highest number of officers in the region earning more than £100,000, at 53.

Wolverhampton Council paid almost £3.9 million to 30 officers, although this included three whose salaries were covered by West Midlands pension fund, including executive director of pensions Rachel Brothwood, who was the authority’s highest earner on £195,803. The pension fund also contributed more than £7,000 towards pay of two other officers.

Wolverhampton’s highest basic salary of £191,626 went to chief executive Tim Johnson, but pension contributions pushed his deputy Mark Taylor above him on a total of £191,626.

Walsall Council paid out a total of £3.14 million to 23 officers who received more than £100,000 each last year, with chief executive Emma Bennett picking up one of the biggest packages in the region of £235,629.

Staffordshire Council paid six-figure packages to 17 officials, costing a total of almost £2.9 million, four of them breaking the £200,000 barrier.

Sandwell employed 16 officers on more than £100,000 a year, although this also included the £150,600 paid to Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique, who also covers the neighbouring authorities of Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Chief executive Shokat Lal was the highest paid employee at the authority, receiving £201,566.

Dudley Council employed 13 officers who received in excess of £100,000 a year, including two chief executives. Kevin O’Keefe, who left his post on September 30, 2024, received a total of £207,000, boosted by an £80,000 severance payout. His successor Balvinder Heran, who initially took on the role in an interim capacity, was paid £200,000, including a £40,000 pension contribution.

Stafford Borough Council employed six officers on more than £100,000 a year, although the cost of these was shared jointly with Cannock Chase Council.

South Staffordshire Council had five officers earning above £100,000, including £158,974 for chief executive Dave Heywood.

Lichfield District Council employed four officers on six-figure packages, including chief executive Simon Fletcher, who received £200, 976, although £37,440 of this was an additional payment for work done for LWM Traded Services Ltd on the council's behalf, for which the council was reimbursed.

Wyre Forest Council paid its chief executive Ian Miller £157,071, although he was the only officer earning above £100,000.