'Town Hall Rich List' published
The TaxPayers Alliance has compiled the figures which show 210 Council officials were paid ÂŁ100k or more in 2017/18
As most councils put up council tax this month, the TaxPayers' Alliance publishes its annual Town Hall Rich List. The figures show in 2017-18 there were at least 2,454 council employees who received total remuneration in excess of ÂŁ100,000.
That's 148 more than in 2016-17, and the highest number since 2013-14. 608 council employees earned over ÂŁ150,000.
A total of 28 local authority employees received remuneration in excess of a quarter of a million pounds in 2017-18.
John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The average council tax bill has gone up by more than £900 over the last twenty years and spending has gone through the roof.
''Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services rather than scaling back top pay.
''Despite many in the public sector facing a much-needed pay freeze to help bring the public finances under control, many town hall bosses are continuing to pocket huge remuneration packages, with staggering pay-outs for those leaving their jobs.
"There are talented people in the public sector who are trying to deliver more for less, but the sheer scale of these packages raise serious questions about efficiency and priorities."
Across Scotland 210 officials received ÂŁ100k or more. In North Lanarkshire 28 offficials received this amount or more.
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “As is often the case, the Taxpayers Alliance report does not reflect the true picture. The figures used clearly include staff leaving the organisation who have paid into a pension scheme throughout their working lives and who are entitled to pension payments. These payments are not set by the council.
“These figures include another phase of changes to the council’s management structure, comprising the reduction of three senior officers which delivers £413,000 in savings every year. In addition, these figures do not set in context the strategic capacity required to oversee around £1billion of public money delivering services to 340,000 residents.
“Our external auditors have confirmed that the council’s financial planning is robust.''