‘Good value for money’ - Bristol City Council defends highest earners as salaries revealed

Bristol City Council’s director for housing and landlord services bagged the seventh most lucrative salary amongst councils across the UK, last year.

Donald Graham, who has an interim role, received £280,634 remuneration for the financial year ending in 2022 according to the Town Hall Rich List, compiled by the TaxPayers’ Alliance. The highest-earning council employee in the UK was an unnamed managing director at Guilford Borough Council who earned £607,633.

Mr Graham is one of seven named Bristol City Council employees whose earnings surpassed £100,000 in the same financial year. The others were: - Stephen Peacock, executive director of growth and regeneration who earned £172,413

- Mike Jackson, Chief executive and head of paid service who earned £174,073

- Hugh Evans, Executive director of people who earned £140,793

- Pasty Mellor, Director of management of place who earned £125,931

- John Walsh, Director of workforce and change who earned £125,150

- Denise Murray, Director of finance who earned £125,150

When asked for comment by BristolWorld, the council defended the wage of its senior employees, insisting they ‘reflect the roles and responsibilities of senior officers who lead a billion-pound organisation’.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “The salary ranges of the most senior officers at Bristol City Council are agreed by councillors at Full Council. They reflect the roles and responsibilities of senior officers who lead a billion-pound organisation with over 6,000 employees and are responsible for running a city of half a million people, with an economy worth over £14 billion.

“To ensure our management structure remains efficient and good value for money, the Mayor has reduced the number of senior positions to save council taxpayers over £1 million a year.”