Rich list: 55 Greater Lincolnshire council officers earn over £100k

The chief executives of Greater Lincolnshire’s three biggest authorities each earned around £180,000 last year.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance’s annual rich list shows that North East Lincolnshire Chief Executive Rob Walsh took home the biggest pay packet, earning £189,750 across 2019-20.

Overall, 55 local authority employees across Greater Lincolnshire took home more than £100,000 last year – 13 earning more than £150,000 – and cost authorities a grand total of £7,041,454.

Mr Walsh was followed by North Lincolnshire’s Denise Hyde in the role of Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, who took home £186,000, and Lincolnshire County Council’s Chief Executive Debbie Barnes who earned £179,042.

Below are the top 10 earners across the Greater Lincolnshire area:

• Rob Walsh, Chief Executive, North East Lincolnshire Council: £189,750
• Denise Hyde, Chief Executive, North Lincolnshire Council: £186,000
• Deborah Barnes, Chief Executive, Lincolnshire County Council: £179,042
• Simon Green, Deputy Chief Executive, North Lincolnshire Council: £174,370
• Name unlisted, Director of Operations (left role January 24, 2020): £169,241
• Les Britzman, Chief fire officer and assistant director fire and emergency: £164,790
• Name unlisted, Director of Children and Family Services (left role November 30, 2019): £162,801
• Anna Graves, Chief Executive of Breckland Council who shared staff with South Holland District Council. Anna has since left her role, and SHDC have decided to terminate their arrangement with Breckland: £160,032
• Andrew Crookham, Executive Director of Resources, Lincolnshire County Council, £155,635
• Andy Gutherson, Executive Director of Place and Interim Director of Place, Lincolnshire County Council: £154,964

The list also reveals that former Chief Executive Aidan Rave, who left SKDC in July 2019 after two years in office, received £146,000 in 2019-2020 including an £84,000 “loss of office” payment, a £12,000 bonus and a £7,000 pension.

Lincolnshire County Council paid the most employees more than £100,000, with several being executive directors, but seven roles being “undisclosed”.

With the latter half of the financial year marking the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lincolnshire County Council’s director for public health Professor Derek Ward took home £135,334, while North East Lincolnshire’s director for health and wellbeing Stephen Pintus earned himself £115,051.

North Lincolnshire’s director for public health Penny Spring was paid a grand total of £113,847.

The final figure includes salary, pension payments and expenses.

The TPA figures show that nationally, the 2,802 employees receiving more than £100,000 nationally was the highest level since 2013-14.

The average band D property, taxpayers in England will have to pay a council tax rise of 4.4 per cent or an extra £81 per year in 2021-22.