THE HUGE salaries paid to senior council officers have been described as ‘horrendous’.

Dorset County Council has released figures that show it spends nearly £2.5million on the salaries of 30 management staff, who earn between £50,022 and £147,875 each. The average salary is £83,333.

Chief executive David Jenkins is the top earner, with a salary higher than that of Prime Minister David Cameron, while his deputy Elaine Taylor – who is also director for corporate resources – is on a salary of £129,976.

Director for environment Miles Butler is one of four other officers earning six figure salaries, earning £123,793 a year.

Outgoing director for children’s services John Nash, who will be leaving his post in August, and adult and community services director Debbie Ward – who is overseeing the withdrawal of core funding to nine Dorset libraries – both earn £120,921.

Chief financial officer Paul Kent’s salary stands at £102,130.

A further 17 officers at the council have salaries of more than £70,000, with seven more being paid over £50,000.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Dorset County Council Janet Dover said it was time to look at a complete overhaul of senior management pay at the authority.

She said: “It is a horrendous amount of money that is being paid to the chief officers and I think an actual review of the whole senior structure including heads of paid service is well overdue.”

Coun Dover said the salaries are particularly alarming considering the difficult financial times a number of Dorset residents – including many of the council’s own staff – are facing.

She said: “It needs a substantial root and branch review because people are suffering in Dorset with low pay and perhaps losing their jobs and they are expecting us as elected members to be looking at every single thing to see whether savings can be made.

“It’s got to be not just low paid staff who are very much under pressure but also the top management structure.”

Coun leader Angus Campbell said: “Publishing these figures gives local people the chance to see further pay details about even more staff than in the past.

“Council staff provide an important public service and are our biggest asset. We’re confident local people get value for money.

“Our senior management costs have reduced by about 10 per cent in last year as part of our work to restructure functions and services.”

The full list

Senior managers at DCC. Note: names of officers in posts taken from www.dorsetforyou.com as Dorset County Council would not officially release names of those occupants in posts.

• Chief executive, David Jenkins – salary as of January 1, 2012: £147,875

• Director for corporate resources and deputy chief executive, Elaine Taylor: £129,976

• Director for environment, Miles Butler: £123,793

• Director for adult and community services, Debbie Ward: £120,921

• Director for children’s services, John Nash: £120,921

• Chief financial officer and deputy director for corporate resources, Paul Kent: £102,130

• Head of strategic commissioning and service development and deputy director for adult and community services, Harry Capron: £81,087

• Head of community care, name of occupant of post not available on www.dorsetforyou.com<&eh>: £77,226

• Head of community services, Paul Leivers: £77,226

• Head of specialist adult services, Glen Gocoul: £77,226

• Director of Dorset Waste Partnership, Steve Burdis: £71,104

• Senior policy and performance manager, Robin Taylor: £50,022

• Head of children and families and deputy director of children’s services, Jackie Last: £81,087

• Head of early intervention services, Les Gardner: £77,226

• Head of inclusion services, Helen Squibb: £71,104

• Head of learning and school improvement, John England: £75,695

• Head of strategic planning, commissioning and performance, Anne Slater: £72,632

• Head of human resources, Sheralyn Huntingford: £69,572

• Head of ICT and strategy systems, Richard Pascoe: £77,226

• Head of legal and democratic services, Jonathan Mair: £77,226

• Head of accountancy support, Richard Bates: £66,698

• Head of corporate finance, Peter Illsley: £69,572

• Head of procurement and business efficiency, Andy Ray: £66,698

• Business and facilities manager, Steve Cheeseman: £55,325

• Head of internal audit, insurance and risk management, name of occupant of post not available on www.dorsetforyou.com: £56,486

• Head of property management and deputy director for environment, Mike Harries: £81,807

• Head of countryside and business development, David Ayre: £72,632

• Head of Dorset Highways management, Mike Winter: £75,695

• Head of Dorset Highways operations, Andrew Martin: £75,695

• Head of planning, Don Gobbett: £77,226