The Town Hall Rich List is an essential tool for residents to hold their councils to account.
Since 2007, the TaxPayers’ Alliance has compiled an annual list of local authority employees receiving over £100,000 in total remuneration. The 2026 edition of this report marks the 20th edition of this research. In that time the number of local authority employees featured on this list has risen eightfold from 578 in 2005-06 to 4,733 in 2024-25.[1],[2] This has corresponded with an expansion in the scope of local government and the number of responsibilities they are required to deliver over the last two decades.[3] Local taxpayers have borne a significant share of the burden, with the average band D council tax in England rising by 79 per cent between 2005-06 and 2024-25.[4] In 2026-27, the average band D council tax is set to rise by 4.9 per cent or £111 in England,[5] 5.2 per cent or £113 in Wales,[6] and 7.1 per cent or £110 in Scotland.[7] All Northern Irish councils also increased their district rates for 2026-27.[8]
| Council | Region | Type | Name | Job title | Salary | Expenses / | Bonuses | compensation | Other | Sub-total (excluding pension) | Pension | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | S Crudgington | Chief executive/deputy chief executive and executive director of resources | £173,389 | £14,446 | £187,835 | £33,984 | £221,819 | Chief executive from 1 May 2024 until 30 September 2024 | |||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | Jo Fisher | Executive director, children’s services | £169,886 | £169,886 | £33,298 | £203,184 | |||||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | Chris Badger | Executive director, adult care services | £169,755 | £131 | £169,886 | £33,298 | £203,184 | ||||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | Alex Woodman | Chief fire officer and executive director, community protection | £155,359 | £155,359 | £30,450 | £185,809 | |||||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | Undisclosed | Executive director growth and environment | £147,305 | £147,305 | £29,443 | £176,747 | |||||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | Undisclosed | Director of law and governance (chief legal officer) | £136,472 | £136,472 | £26,749 | £163,221 | |||||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | Undisclosed | Director of finance (s151 officer) | £124,940 | £11,502 | £136,442 | £26,749 | £163,191 | ||||
| Hertfordshire | East of England | County council | A Ridgwell | Chief executive | £124,633 | £756 | £125,389 | £24,428 | £149,817 | From 26 September 2024 |
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