THE huge salaries paid to senior council officers have been described as “horrendous”.

Dorset County Council has released figures that show it spends nearly £2.5 million on the salaries of 30 management staff, who earn between £50,022 and £147,875. 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, one of four other officers earning six figure salaries, earns £123,793.

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 tearning 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.”

Cllr Dover said the salaries were 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.

“It’s got to be not just low paid staff who are very much under pressure.”

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

“We’re confident local people get value for money.”