Revealed: How many Sunderland City Council staff received more than £100k a year
The figures were revealed in the Taxpayers’ Alliance’s Town Hall Rich List, which showed that the number of staff at Sunderland City Council getting over £100,000 more than doubled from six in 2014/15 to 13 in 2015/16.
Former chief executive Dave Smith, who has now left the authority after resigning in August 2015, recieved £625,570 in 2015/16, although that included £331,414 in pension contributions.
His salary was £108,686.
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Hide AdSonia Tognarelli, director of finance and interim head of paid service who left the council in 2016 after 35 years service, received £605,958 in the same year.
An unnamed executive director of People’s Services at the council received £444,495, making them the fifth highest earner in the country.
A spokesman for Sunderland City Council said that eight of the 13 members of staff no longer work for the authority.
The council spokesman said: “These figures reflect the terms and conditions for eight senior employees no longer employed by the council, including former chief executive Dr Dave Smith.
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Hide Ad“They include payments to the Pension Fund to reflect payments in the future.”
Durham County Council had the most employees who received remuneration in excess of £100,000, in the North East, with 20.
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TPA, hit out at the figures.: “The average council tax bill has gone up by more than £900 over the last 20 years and spending has gone through the roof.
He said: “Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services rather than scaling back top pay.
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Hide Ad“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 the number of people on six-figure deals actually going up since last year.”
Coun Claire Kober, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, defended the work of those on councils, saying: “The pay of senior council staff is set by politically proportionate committees of elected councillors and is open to a high level of scrutiny and democratic accountability as a result.”