Number of Hampshire County Council staff earning more than £100k rises

The latest Taxpayers’ Alliance Rich List, published on Tuesday, April 9, revealed that 38 staff members of the county council were paid more than £100,000 in 2022-2023, five more than in the previous 12 months.

Carolyn Williamson, the council’s chief executive, is the highest earner, taking home a salary of £236,968.

This is followed by Steve Crocker, director of children’s services and deputy chief executive, and Graham Allen, director of adults’ health and care and deputy chief executive, who both earn £178,640.

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Hampshire County Council

Other members of the council’s senior management team also cost the council more than £100,000.

They include Felicity Roe, director of community, culture and business services (£120,133), Stuart Jarvis, director of economy, transport and environment (£119,556), and Rob Carr, director of corporate operations (£168,363).

The report also lists the salaries of 32 other employees, but describes their names as “not disclosed” and their job titles as “not specified”.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “The new financial year has seen council tax soar across the country, and taxpayers will notice that top brass pay has simultaneously surged.

“Local authorities provide crucial services and residents will want to make sure they are getting bang for their buck with their ever-increasing bills.

“Residents can use these figures to ask whether precious funds are really going towards frontline services, or whether town hall bosses can get better value for money.”

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A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “The data that the Taxpayers’ Alliance has provided is readily available, as these details are published by the County Council each year. It is important to note that the roles of a number of our most senior officers go beyond the delivery of services on behalf of just Hampshire County Council, with these positions also responsible for the delivery of a range of services to other local authorities and public sector partners nationally.

“Employing approximately 10,000 people directly and many more indirectly, Hampshire County Council is one of the largest public sector organisations in the country, serving 1.4 million residents, spending over £2 billion per year on the delivery of a wide range of complex and essential public services. County Council rates of pay are competitive in order to recruit, retain and motivate the best people, and to deliver value for money for the taxpayer - never has it been more important to ensure we have the right skills and expertise in place to help steer the Local Authority through the difficult and very challenging times ahead.”