Former Northumberland council boss's expenses were highest in the country

Think Tank the Taxpayer’s Alliance has released its annual Town Hall Rich list, detailing the amount paid out by local authorities to officers.

The figures, which relate to the 2021/22 financial year, showed that former Northumberland County Council CEO and head of paid service Daljit Lally received the highest expenses claim of any officer in the UK.

Mrs Lally left the council last summer after a £209,000 payout was agreed by county councillors.

Northumberland County Council also paid out remuneration packages of more than £100,000 to more officers than any other in the North East – 23. However, the council has pointed out that it has since introduced sweeping changes to its top team that will have brought the wage bill down.

A spokesman for the county council said: “The most senior local government posts come with significant statutory responsibility and that is reflected in the salaries paid by councils across the UK.

“In Northumberland we are committed to providing first class services and value for money to all its residents, including driving down costs where we can – and we are confident this is being achieved. The figures relating to the number of employees earning over £100k relate to 2021/22 when a number of interim arrangements were in place.

“This year a new chief executive has come into post alongside new executive directors in a more efficient and streamlined top management structure. If proposals are agreed next week our new structure will reduce to 15 posts earning more than £100k.

“We fully expect that this senior management restructure will save us in the region of a million pounds.”

Ms Lally also featured on the list of the highest total remuneration paid to any officer in the North East that year. Total remuneration includes salary, pensions contributions, benefits in kind, expenses, bonuses and redundancy payments. She received a total payment of £279,937 – putting her eighth in the overall table.

Ms Lally was contacted for comment but did not respond.