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

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.

The list shows West Sussex County Council with 19 officers with remuneration above £100,000, four shared across Adur and Worthing Councils, three at Arun, five at Chichester, two at Crawley, six at Horsham and five at Mid Sussex.

West Sussex County Council

The TPA’s figures show the highest cost at County Hall in 2020/21 was for the interim director - human resources & organisational development listed as receiving a salary of £249,423.

West Sussex’s own accounts show this sum was paid to an agency for the officer’s services.

Next was Lucy Butler, executive director - children, young people and learning, who was paid a salary of £164,583 and a pension contribution of £34,913 (£199,496 total), followed by the chief fire officer on a £140,000 salary and £40,320 salary (£180,320 total), then executive director - place services 143,850 salary and 33,575 pension (£177,425 total), Executive director - adults and health £173,400 salary, director - finance and support services £128,438 salary and £29,977 pension (£158,415 total), director - law and assurance £118,163 salary and £27,579 pension (£145,742 total) and director - education and skills £113,025 salary, £3,975 expenses and £26,380 pension (£143,380 total).

There are nine other ‘undisclosed’ posts listed with salaries ranging from £132,500 to £112,500.

Kim Curry, former executive director for adults and health, is also listed as she received £110,473 for loss of employment in 2020/21.

Although chief executive Becky Shaw is the authority’s highest earner, because she is shared jointly with East Sussex, West Sussex paid her £154,866 in salary.

East Sussex is listed as paying her £101,927 in salary, £16,236 under other and £20,797 pension contribution.

A spokesman said: “West Sussex County Council delivers services to more than 850,000 residents every day and is one of the largest employers in the county. Attracting and retaining the best staff is essential. It means we can respond effectively to the challenges of maintaining services in a context of changing government policy, increasing complexity of needs, the impact of the pandemic and rising inflation.

“This includes ensuring we have highly qualified senior staff with the best knowledge, skills and experience. Local government pay for senior managers is benchmarked in line with the average pay grade of those doing similar jobs in the public sector. We share the cost of the chief executive with East Sussex county council.

“Like all local authorities, details of senior officer salaries are publicly declared in our annual statement of accounts and available on the council’s website.”

Adur and Worthing Councils

Meanwhile at Adur and Worthing the highest earner in 2020/21 was the chief executive with a £125,406 salary and £25,207 pension contribution (£150,613 total), followed by the director for digital & resources, £102,33 salary and £20,569 pension (£122,902 total), an undisclosed post, £122,500 salary, and director for the economy, £100,326 salary and £20,166 pension (£120,492 total).

According to the councils’ draft statement of accounts, the cost of chief executive is borne more or less equally by the two authorities, but Worthing contributes a greater share for the other two posts listed by name.

Since then Alex Bailey has stepped down as chief executive and replaced by Catherine Howe.

Adur and Worthing Councils have been approached for comment.

Arun District Council

For 20/21 the three highest earners at Arun were the chief executive, £126,000 salary and £27,000 pension contribution (£153,000 total), director of place, £101,000 salary and £22,00 pension contribution (£123,000 total) and director of services, £101,00 salary and £22,000 pension contribution (£123,000 total).

Since then chief executive Nigel Lynn has left to take another job and he has been replaced by James Hassett.

A spokesman said: “The chief executive leads the organisation and therefore has the highest level of accountability for a wide range of services across the whole of the Arun district.

“Arun has one of the largest populations in West Sussex, serving more than 160,000 residents.

“The remuneration of the chief executive was recommended by the council’s remuneration panel, but future pay increases will be in line with the national pay award for chief executives.

“Arun District Council has set pay scales, through an agreed process, which cover the director posts. Salaries are increased annually in line with the national pay award.”

Chichester District Council

Over in Chichester five posts are listed with annual total remuneration above £100,000: chief executive, £126,118 salary and £25,560 pension (£151,678 total), service director - corporate services, £93,736 salary and £18,954 pension (£112,690 total), service director - growth and place, £88,240 salary and £17,833 pension (£106,073 total), service director - housing and community services, £88,240 salary and £17,833 pension (£106,073 total) and service director - planning and the environment, £88,163 salary and £17,817 pension (£105,980 total).

A spokesperson for Chichester District Council said: “As a council, we are very open and transparent about what our senior officers are paid. Senior pay is always decided by democratically elected councillors and this is available on our website for anyone to see.

“Only one officer in the organisation is paid above £100,000 a year (excluding pension contributions) and this is the Chief Executive. Over the past number of years, we have significantly reduced the amount of senior officers within the council and continued to reduce our costs significantly.

“Councils are large and complex organisations 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.

“Throughout the pandemic and with the current financial pressures that people are under, our services are needed more than ever, helping to provide essential services and community support. All of our officers work incredibly hard to deliver the best outcomes for our communities.”

Crawley Borough Council

Meanwhile Crawly just has two posts above that threshold, a chief executive, £123,413 salary, £1,239 expenses, £25,845 pension contribution (£150,497 total) and deputy chief executive, £101,865 salary and £21,494 pension contribution (£123,359 total).

A council spokesperson said: “The salaries paid reflect the scale and responsibility of these senior roles. Crawley Borough Council spends more than £130m on services for local residents; it’s imperative that we recruit the right people with the right skills into these roles.

“These appointments and salaries are decided democratically by elected councillors.”

Horsham District Council

HDC has six posts listed, chief executive on £121,000 salary with £24,053 pension contribution (£145,077 total), director of corporate resources, £100,865 salary and £19,955 pension (£120,820 total), director of community services, £100,533 salary and £19,955 pension (£120,488 total), director of place, £100,533 salary and £19,955 pension (£120,488 total) and two undisclosed roles on £117,500 and £102,500 salaries respectively.

Current chief executive Glen Chipp is retiring this month and is due to be replaced by Jane Eaton who is being promoted from her current role as director of corporate resources.

Horsham District Council has been approached for comment.

Mid Sussex District Council

Lastly, the report lists five posts at MSDC with remuneration above £100,000:

Chief executive, £142,520 salary, £2,675 expenses and £31,072 pension (£176,267 total), assistant chief executive £92,770 salary, £1,101 expenses and £20,088 pension (£113,959), head of corporate resources £90,188 salary, £2,1081 expenses and £19,746 pension (£112,015 total), head of digital and customer services, £90,068 salary and £19,275 pension (£109,343 total) and an undisclosed role on a salary of £107,500.

A Mid Sussex District Council spokesperson said: “The council is a complex organisation to run, and it’s vital that we are able to attract and retain senior managers with the skills and experience required to deliver this important work.

“Pay must be competitive if we are to ensure we have the right candidates in each position and council salaries are always set in a democratic, open and transparent way.

“In recent years, our management has attracted millions of pounds of inward investment and infrastructure funding to Mid Sussex, making our district an even better place to live.

“They have helped us to make great strides towards financial self-sufficiency, generating millions of pounds in savings without making cuts to frontline services.

“This prudent financial approach means we are now much less reliant on government grants and it has played a huge part in helping us to continue operating effectively throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”