SALARIES for Hounslow Council's top earners rose by an inflation-busting eight per cent in one year, figures have revealed.
Staff members whose salaries top £100,000 a year enjoyed an average pay rise of 8.2 per cent in 2008/9 on the previous year's figure - and one executive received a whopping 16.7 per cent increase.
Eight officers made it into the six-figure bracket during 2008/9, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by The TaxPayers' Alliance.
All but one of executives who earned £100,000 and over in 2008/9 and in the previous year had a pay rise of at least five per cent. Only Lee Dawson, director of corporate property and project co-ordination, opted for a pay freeze.
Outgoing chief executive Mark Gilks topped the pay league, earning £164,828 (a rise of 7.6 per cent).
He was closely followed by the director of legal services Terry Walsh, whose pay packet swelled by more than a sixth to £141,851.
Two new entries were director of finance Stephen Fitzgerald and director of corporate services Willie Griffin, who received £121,259 and £110,918 respectively.
Assistant chief executive Howard Simmons, who earned £105,600 in 2007/8, was the only person to lose his place in the top earners' league.
John O'Connell, policy analyst for the alliance, said: "Council bosses have had a very good recession at taxpayers' expense. More of them than ever are earning massive amounts, and they even enjoyed a healthy pay rise, while everyone else was suffering pay freezes, cuts or redundancies."
Councillor Gerald McGregor, Hounslow's lead member for finance, defended the pay rises.
He said the Tory-led administration had cut the number of director roles from 11 to five as part of its cost-cutting Performance Improvement Programme, so those remaining carried much more responsibility.
"We've reduced the total budget extensively. Those folk who are left are highly regarded by the administration and they all took part in a competitive application process for the new roles," he added.
"We firmly believe they represent good value for money and their wages are reasonable for the responsibilities they carry."
Nationally, at least 1,250 council staff earned £100,000 or more during 2008/9, up from 1,099 the previous year, with 166 receiving £150,000 or above.
