Number of £50k council earners jumps by a fifth

COST-SAVING 'ADJUSTMENTS' TO SENIOR TEAM ARE NOW BEING CONSIDERED

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

THE number of Stockton Council employees on annual salaries over £50,000 has risen by more than 20% in a year, while 10 jobs have been lost in a review of the authority's services.

The council had 230 employees earning more than £50,000 a year, including benefits, redundancy and other severance payments, in 2024-25 according to the authority's draft accounts for 2024-25.

This compares to 187 in the previous year, a rise of almost 23%, say the accounts which have been opened to public scrutiny for a month.

Stockton Council has now told the Gazette it is “considering adjustments” to its senior management team. It says this will save costs and ensure its structures are good value and fit for purpose.

The authority says it has been required to publish roles earning £50,000 and over since 2015. But this threshold has not been updated in more than 10 years, so more roles meet the threshold every year due to inflation without anyone having a real terms pay rise.

The high earners included 15 people on six-figure salaries, with seven directors all earning more than £130,000 that year except the director of regeneration and inclusive growth, who took the role with the creation of the new post in September 2024 and earned more than £72.000 for seven months' work.

The council's chief executive Mike Greene earned over £173,000 including fees and allowances, a total of more than £200,000 including pension contributions.