Over 110 council employees across Sussex earned £100,000 or more during the previous year.
The Taxpayers’ Alliance released its updated compilation for the 2024/25 fiscal year, showing the number of staff members throughout the country whose total pay exceeded £100,000.
At least 117 workers employed by local authorities in Sussex appeared on this compilation, with 36 of those working for Brighton and Hove City Council.
Total pay may encompass wages, pension contributions, expenses, benefits, bonuses, payments related to elections and compensation for loss of position.
Jessica Gibbons, chief executive of the council, was the highest earner, receiving a salary of £213,935, which was £41,782 more than the Prime Minister’s salary of £172,153 in the same year.
She also received a £38,561 pension contribution.
The remaining 35 entries for Brighton and Hove City Council were not disclosed publicly, but included £292,538 in total pay for the corporate director for economy, environment and culture.
This amount includes a £142,388 payment for loss of office, which ranked sixth highest for compensation on the national list.
The Argus requested the name of the post-holder from Brighton and Hove City Council, but this was refused.
A council spokesperson explained that the remuneration includes one-off costs associated with a restructuring of senior management, which reduced the number of posts.
The spokesperson noted that these one-off severance costs would generate approximately £1.2 million per year in savings on senior management expenditure.
According to the spokesperson, the council remains committed to providing value for money for residents while ensuring the right people are in place to improve Brighton and Hove.
The spokesperson added that pay for senior staff reflects the scale, complexity and accountability of running major public services, and is designed to attract and retain experienced leaders while maintaining value for money for taxpayers.
Salaries are determined by national terms, comparison with similar councils and democratic oversight to ensure value for money for taxpayers.
West Sussex County Council paid 26 employees more than £100,000 last year.
Senior coroner Penelope Schofield earned £170,386, received £713 in expenses and £33,566 in pension payments.
Meanwhile, the council’s chief executive, Leigh Whitehouse, received a salary of £168,904.
The Taxpayers’ Alliance listed East Sussex County Council as having 15 employees who received more than £100,000, although the council stated its audited accounts showed only 13.
Chief executive Becky Shaw received a total of £240,539, comprising salary, pension, expenses and a £7,865 payment categorised as other.
An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said senior officers are responsible for a gross annual budget exceeding £1.2 billion and nearly 5,000 staff who provide essential services to residents of East Sussex.
According to the spokesperson, with the county council continuing to face unprecedented financial pressures and having to address growing and complex needs among its residents, it is vital that the council can attract and retain the best candidates with the skills, experience and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively.
The spokesperson said the policy is to pay all staff, including senior managers, salaries that align with average pay grades for similar positions in the public sector in the South East.
In recent years the council has reduced the number of senior managers by a quarter and details of senior officer pay are available on the council’s website.
Another Sussex entry in the top ten list for highest loss of office payments was the undisclosed director of tourism, culture and organisational development at Eastbourne Borough Council, who received £118,450 in compensation, along with £105,514 in salary.
Eastbourne Borough Council, which had four employees on the list, declined The Argus’s request for the name of this post-holder.
Adur and Worthing Councils were listed as having six employees who received more than £100,000, while both Arun District Council and Mid Sussex District Council had five.
An Arun District Council spokesperson said the council regularly compares pay for its permanent senior roles against councils of a similar size and complexity to ensure salaries are appropriate, competitive and provide value for money for local taxpayers.
According to the spokesperson, these posts carry significant statutory responsibilities and are essential to delivering vital services to more than 170,000 Arun residents.
The spokesperson noted that the chief executive holds the highest level of accountability, leading services across one of the largest populations in West Sussex.
According to the spokesperson, their pay was recommended by the council’s remuneration panel, with any future increases aligned to the national pay award for chief executives.
Pay scales for director-level posts are set through an agreed process and are reviewed annually in line with the national pay award. All senior salaries are reported transparently and are subject to robust governance and scrutiny.
Wealden District Council had 12 employees on the list.
A spokesperson said senior officer roles within Wealden District Council, one of the largest districts in the south east, carry considerable responsibilities, which is reflected in the salaries offered.
The spokesperson explained that to ensure the council attracts candidates with the expertise and experience to run services residents depend upon, it needs to pay a competitive salary in line with similar local government posts in the south east.
The spokesperson noted that the salaries of senior officers are publicly available on the council’s website.
Crawley District Council listed seven while Horsham had five employees with total remuneration above £100,000.