Revealed: Nine council officials in Shropshire earn more than £100,000

Six of the officials work for Shropshire Council, and three for neighbouring Telford & Wrekin Council.

Shropshire also had another two officers who fell just below the threshold, earning £99,503, according to figures publicised by the Taxpayers' Alliance.

The annual rich list of town hall bosses included the highest paid official in the region, managing director of Telford & Wrekin Council, Richard Partington, who is paid £139,754.

Shropshire's chief executive Clive Wright earns a salary of £129,496.

Telford & Wrekin Council's director of customer, neighbourhood & wellbeing services, and children's & adult services both earn £111,803.

In Shropshire the director of public health earns £102,440, and directors of adult services, children's services, and place and enterprise, earn £100,928 each.

Another official in an undisclosed position earns £107,500.

Across the country there are 608 council employees who earned more than £150,000.

Rethink

The Taxpayer's Alliance has called for a rethink on levels of pay.

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."

One of the highest paid officials across the country was Slough’s Interim chief executive who earned £595,077.

In response to the report, a spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "The council regularly publishes what it pays its most senior employees. Since 2009/10 the number of senior managers has been cut by 58 per cent, twice the average seen nationally, while over the same period the council has reduced the pay for its most senior posts by 30 per cent in real terms.

A spokesman for Shropshire Council said: “Our senior officers salaries are benchmarked, including by working with the Local Government Association.”