Here’s how many East Sussex council staff are receiving more than £100,000 a year

An annual list of council employees receiving more than £100,000 a year has been released, showing the pay of top officers across East Sussex.
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Every year the Taxpayers’ Alliance puts together its Town Hall Rich List and the latest outlines a council-by-council breakdown of local government executive pay deals for the financial year 2020/21.

According to the organisation, taxpayers are having to pay more and more for their council tax bills at a time when the number of local authority employees nationally receiving more than £100,000 in total remuneration has risen to the highest level since 2013-14.

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The list shows East Sussex County Council with ten officers with remuneration above £100,000, six shared across Eastbourne and Lewes Councils, three at Rother, three at Wealden and two at Hastings.

County Hall in Lewes/East Sussex County Council offices SUS-210823-124410001County Hall in Lewes/East Sussex County Council offices SUS-210823-124410001
County Hall in Lewes/East Sussex County Council offices SUS-210823-124410001

However when we asked the individual councils to comment on the report, the accuracy of some of the figures in the report were challenged.

East Sussex County Council

The TPA’s figures shows the post of chief operating officer receiving total remuneration of £212,550, made up of £122,910 salary, £68,008 under compensation and £21,632 for pension contributions.

Stuart Gallimore, director of children’s services, is listed next with a total remuneration package of £181,529, followed by Rupert Clubb, director of communities, economy and transport (£181,416) and then the assistant chief executive role (£171,919).

Eastbourne Borough Council offices, 1 Grove Road. SUS-210823-124908001Eastbourne Borough Council offices, 1 Grove Road. SUS-210823-124908001
Eastbourne Borough Council offices, 1 Grove Road. SUS-210823-124908001
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Chief executive Becky Shaw and executive director of adult social care Keith Hinkley work across both East and West Sussex county councils.

Under East Sussex, the TPA lists Ms Shaw as receiving £101,927 salary, £16,236 under other and £20,797 pension contribution.

Meanwhile under West Sussex’s heading the report says Ms Shaw receives £154,866 salary.

For East Sussex, Mr Hinkley’s salary is listed as £104,031 in addition to £6,058 expenses, £21,568 as other and £22,108 pension contribution.

Lewes District Council offices, Southover House SUS-210823-125317001Lewes District Council offices, Southover House SUS-210823-125317001
Lewes District Council offices, Southover House SUS-210823-125317001
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It is not clear if any portion of Mr Hinkley’s salary paid for by West Sussex is included in the figures as he only took on the shared role mid-way through the financial year.

East Sussex County Council’s director of public health is listed as receiving £135,757 total remuneration (£115,440 salary and £20,317 pension), an undisclosed post receiving £117,500 salary, the chief finance officer paid £116,876 in total (£99,384 salary and £17,492 pension) and another undisclosed role in receipt of £102,500 salary.

An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “Our senior officers are responsible for a gross annual budget of more than £800 million and around 4,500 staff who deliver vital services to the people of East Sussex.

“We continue to face significant challenges in meeting increasing and more complex needs, exacerbated by the effects of the Covid pandemic and the rise in living costs, and it is extremely important that we are able to attract and retain the best people, who have the skills, experience and knowledge to carry out their role effectively.

File: Muriel Matters House (Hastings Borough Council offices). SUS-210316-151635001File: Muriel Matters House (Hastings Borough Council offices). SUS-210316-151635001
File: Muriel Matters House (Hastings Borough Council offices). SUS-210316-151635001
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“Our policy is to pay all of our staff – including senior managers – salaries which are in line with the average pay grade for those doing similar jobs in the public sector in the south east.

“In recent years we have reduced the number of senior managers by a quarter and now share the cost of two senior officers with West Sussex County Council. Details of senior officer pay are available on the council’s website.”

The council’s own website lists Ms Shaw’s FTE salary ceiling as £203,853 for 20/21, Mr Hinkley’s at £152,031, Mr Clubb’s at £152,031, the same for an interim chief operating officer, assistant chief executive and Alison Jeffrey, director of children’s services, £99,384 for the chief finance officer, £115,440 for the director of public health.

Eastbourne Borough Council/Lewes District Council

The six shared posts listed in the report are: Shared chief executive £145,004 salary, £2,660 expenses, £30,016 pension contribution (£177,680 total)

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Deputy chief executive/director of regeneration and planning £118,163 salary, £2,130 expenses, £24,840 pension (£145,133 total)

Bexhill Town Hall SUS-200928-133414001Bexhill Town Hall SUS-200928-133414001
Bexhill Town Hall SUS-200928-133414001

Director of tourism and enterprise £98,253 salary and £20,289 pension (£118,542 total)

Assistant director of HR and transformation £91,775 salary and £18,952 pension (£110,727 total)

Chief finance officer £91,775 salary and £18,952 pension (£110,367 total)

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Director of service delivery £87,546 salary and £18,060 pension (£105,606 total).

A spokesman for the councils said: “Some of the information in the report is inaccurate and out of date.

“The tourism and enterprise role was deleted in 2020/21, creating a saving of £118,542. Additionally, there have been no expenses for senior management since 2020.

“It should be noted that not only is the senior management team smaller than many other authorities, it’s also responsible for the management of two local authorities.

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“Eastbourne Borough Council and Lewes District Council share all their services, including senior management.

“Savings of over £3 million were achieved by having one integrated workforce of officers working across both Eastbourne and Lewes District.”

Hastings Borough Council

Hastings’ two posts in the report are director of corporate resources and governance with a £121,549 salary, £7,611 listed in ‘other’ column and £20,908 pension contribution (£ 142,457 total) and assistant director of finance and revenues £96,431 salary and £16,978 pension contribution (£113,409 total).

A spokesman for HBC said: “The 2020-21 pay figure for director of corporate resources and governance (Hastings Borough Council’s managing director) reflects the increase in responsibilities that are undertaken by this position following the restructure of Hastings Borough Council in April 2020.

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“The restructure which was agreed at Full Council saw the total senior management costs significantly reduced through the combination of two director roles into one Managing Director position, and other senior management team reductions.

“The assistant director of finance and revenue is a key member of Hastings Borough Council’s corporate management group and reports directly to the managing director. This role undertakes important statutory duties for the council including the Section 151 officer role and electoral responsibilities.

“Our pay needs to remain competitive and in line with other local organisations in order to continue attract and retain key colleagues in a sector that is seeing a significant turnover of staff.”

Rother District Council

For 20/21 Rother has three officers listed: its executive director with £88,072 salary, £97,539 compensation, £8,741 pension contribution (£194,352 total), chief executive £106,974 salary and £19,468 pension (£126,442 total) and assistant director resources £85,874 salary and £15,066 pension (£100,940 total).

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A Rother District Council spokesperson said: “In recent years, the two executive director posts have been replaced with a single chief executive post, allowing Rother District Council to make savings on top of those already achieved through efficiency savings, partnership working and the devolvement of assets and some services.

“Senior officer roles come with considerable responsibilities, which is reflected in the salaries offered. To ensure we attract candidates with the expertise and experience to run services residents rely upon, we need to pay a competitive salary in line with similar local government posts in the south east.

“The salaries of senior officers are publicly available on our website.”

Wealden District Council

Lastly at Wealden the TPA’s report lists its chief executive as receiving a £133,013 salary, £183 expenses, £200 bonus, £23,806 pension contribution (£157,202 total), the director of planning, policy and environmental services a £112,659 salary, £187 expenses, £1,513 bonus, and £20,081 pension (£134,440 total) and director of community and customer services £98,905 salary, £187 expenses, £200 bonus, £17,710 pension.

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A spokesman for Wealden District Council: “Senior officer roles within Wealden District Council – one of the largest districts within the south east - come with considerable responsibilities, which is reflected in the salaries offered. To ensure we attract candidates with the expertise and experience to run services residents rely upon, we need to pay a competitive salary in line with similar local government posts in the south east.

“The salaries of senior officers are publicly available on our website.”

‘Prioritise key services’

According to national figures from the TPA the number of council staff receiving more than £100,000 went up to 2,921 during the Covid pandemic, with 739 getting more than £150,000.

The largest remuneration for any council employee in 2020/21 was in Croydon where its departing chief executive received a total of £613,895 including salary, compensation for loss of employment and pension strain payment.

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In the South East, Tte local authorities with the most employees who received remuneration in excess of £100,000 were Kent and Hampshire, with 26 each.

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.”