THREE employees at the borough council earned more than £100,000, a new report into wages in the public sector has fond.

The annual Town Hall Rich List, published on Tuesday by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, showed 2,454 council staff across the UK earned more than £100,000 in 2017/18.

Test Valley Borough Council’s (TVBC) chief executive, Roger Testall, along with two corporate directors have ranked on the list of the highest paid authority staff across the country.

The figures had Mr Testall being paid £138,000 and two corporate directors receiving £101,000 each, including pension payments. The positions and names of the corporate directors were not disclosed.

A council spokesperson said: “The survey shows that there are at least 2,454 council employees who received total remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2017/18. TVBC is not therefore out of step with others. The council has always had a policy of paying competitive salaries across the board in order to attract good quality staff to serve the people of Test Valley.”

The survey also highlights the amount that staff claimed in expenses on top of their annual salary from the council.

In the same year Mr Testall was paid £9,000 in expenses, the same as one corporate director. The other received £6,000 in expenses.

The spokesperson said: “These are not monetary claims but relate to the taxable benefit in kind set by HMRC for the provision of lease cars for the three posts.”

Meanwhile Hampshire County Council had 19 members of staff paid over £100,000, with chief executive John Coughlan receiving £216,195.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance has said that despite council tax bills increasing authority bosses are still receiving large pay packets.

However TVBC has frozen its share of the household levy for 2019/20.

The council spokesperson added: “The Taxpayers Alliance will be aware that council tax in Test Valley is £43 lower than the average in England — and this year it has been frozen.”

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services rather than scaling back top pay.

“Despite many in the public sector facing a much-needed pay freeze to help bring the public finances under control, many town hall bosses are continuing to pocket huge remuneration packages, with staggering pay-outs for those leaving their jobs.

“There are talented people in the public sector who are trying to deliver more for less, but the sheer scale of these packages raise serious questions about efficiency and priorities.”