Revealed: The number of council bosses in Northamptonshire who earned more than £100,000 a year

The Taxpayers' Alliance published its annual Town Hall Rich List in April 2022, which details the local authority workers who received salaries, expenses and pensions totalling more than £100,000 in 2020-21.

Former Northamptonshire County Council chief executive Theresa Grant was the highest-paid worker in the county at £282,000. She left her role in March 2022 and has recently been appointed as chief executive at Liverpool City Council.

The earnings for Ms Grant, who took over the reins at the county council following its financial collapse in 2018, were made up of £249,000 in salary, £17,000 in compensation and £33,000 in pension.

The second highest earner was unnamed in the data set. However, we do know they were the director of human resources and received £97,000 in compensation, a £222,000 salary and £21,000 in their pension - totalling £243,000.

The third highest earner was the former chief executive at South Northamptonshire Council – who was also unnamed in the data set – after receiving a salary of £234,623.

The fourth highest earner was Anna Earnshaw, who is now chief executive at West Northamptonshire Council. She made a total of £196,000, which was made up of £5,000 in 'other' payments, a £168,000 salary and £28,000 in her pension.

The fifth top earner was Barry Scarr, formerly the executive director of finance at Northamptonshire County Council before he left in April 2021. Mr Scarr earned £191,000 in total, which was made up of £16,000 in 'other' payments, a £165,000 salary and £26,000 in his pension.

The sixth-highest earner was former Northampton Borough Council chief executive George Candler with £189,000, which was made up via a £162,000 salary and £27,000 in his pension.

Mr Candler is now executive director, place and economy, and deputy chief executive at North Northamptonshire Council after being appointed when the authority formed in April 2021.

The seventh-highest earner was a M Ashton, formerly a managing director, with a total payment of £186,000, which was made up via £26,000 in compensation, £11,000 in 'other' payments, a £164,000 salary, and £22,000 in their pension.

The full list of highest earners:

Former Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) chief executive (head of paid service), Theresa Grant: £282,000

Director of HR: 243,000

Former chief executive at South Northamptonshire Council, who was unnamed in the data: £234,623

Former executive director adults community and wellbeing, who is now chief executive at WNC, Anna Earnshaw: £196,000

Former executive director of finance at Northamptonshire County Council, Barry Scarr: £191,000

Former Northampton Borough Council chief executive, who is now deputy executive at North Northamptonshire Council, George Candler: £189,000

Former managing director M Ashton: £186,000

Executive director children first Northamptonshire: £166,000

Former director of public health, Lucy Wightman: £152,000

Executive director strategic delivery and transformation: £148,000

Former South Northamptonshire Council assistant chief executive: £140,000

Head of finance (section 151 officer): £130,000

Assistant director to chief executive: £110,000

Former Northampton Borough Council secretary: £106,000

Northamptonshire unitary programme director: £105,000

Head of customer and cultural services: £101,000

Head of planning: £101,000

The full data can be found here.