Campaign group The Taxpayers’ Alliance has today released its Town Hall Rich List 2023, listing council employees in the UK who received over £100,000 in taxpayers’ money in a single financial year.
The list revealed that 19 Leeds City Council employees earned more than £100,000 in the 2021-22 financial year, compared to the UK average of 7.9 per local authority. The highest earners are largely made up of the council’s Corporate Leadership Team, as well as three officers who work closely with the leadership team and 10 unnamed workers. Local authorities are only required to provide names for those with a salary of £150,000 or more.
Chief executive Tom Riordan, who has taken a voluntary pay cut over the last few years, had the highest salary of £185,896. The council’s director of communities and environment, James Rogers, was the overall highest earner including pension contributions – earning £187,600. In comparison, the highest paid local authority employee in the UK was the managing director of Guildford Council, who earned more than £600,000, while Sheffield City Council’s chief executive receives almost £250,000-a-year from taxpayers - making her the best paid official in Yorkshire and the Humber.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “The salaries paid to our chief officers are consistent with the duties they are required to undertake and the responsibilities they have, with salary grades benchmarked and evaluated according to the size and scope of each individual role. Leeds is the country’s second biggest unitary council and remains open and transparent about its salary levels. The number of staff earning over £100,000 represents 0.18% of the workforce.
“The council’s chief executive’s voluntary pay cut over the last few years has also been channelled into additional savings for the council and local good causes, totalling more than one year’s annual salary. Like all local authorities, Leeds City Council has faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years due to coronavirus and the council’s senior management team, including the chief executive and directors, have played an important role in coordinating the city’s response and more recently its recovery.”
Here are the 10 highest paid employees at Leeds City Council.
1. Council's highest paid employees
Here are the 10 highest earners at Leeds City Council, earning more than £100,000 in the 2021/22 financial year according to the Town Hall Rich List. Where only salary bands were provided, the Taxpayers' Alliance uses the midpoint figure. Photo: National World
2. James Rogers - £187,600
James Rogers, pictured left, is the council's director of communities and environment and the city's highest paid officer. He earned a £161,864 salary, £25,736 in pension contributions and a total package of £187,600. Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
3. Tom Riordan - £185,896
Tom Riordan is the chief executive of Leeds City Council. He earned a salary and total package of £185,896 and has taken a voluntary pay cut over the last few years. Photo: Steve Riding
4. Saleem Tariq - £179,974
Saleem Tariq is the local authority's director of children and families. He earned a £155,284 salary and £24,690 in pension contributions, with a total package of £179,974. Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
5. Cath Roff - £161,864
Cath Roff was the council's director of adults and health, earning a £161,864 salary and total package. She has now left the role. Photo: Bruce Rollinson
6. Martin Farrington - £161,864
Martin Farrington, pictured right, is Leeds City Council's director of city development. He earned a salary and total package of £161,864. Photo: Steve Riding