The annual list provides a breakdown of each local authority’s highest earners for the 2024-25 financial year.
The list revealed that across the UK there were 320 council employees earning a higher salary than the Prime Minister, who earned £172,153 in 2024.
The number of council bosses receiving more than £100,000 in 2024-25 stood at 4,733, an increase of 827 from 2023-24.
The number of staff receiving over £150,000 has also reached 1,255.
Pensions are schemes that allow employees to defer some of their income until they retire. Pension payments represent a portion of the total cost incurred by the taxpayer and are part of the financial benefit for employers.
The Southwest has 299 council employees who received at least £100,000 in 2024-25.
Graham Farrant, the former council chief executive is one of three officers’ names on the list and is shown as the top earner. He earned £205,178 with a £37,048 pension.
Graham Farrant stepped down from his role as chief executive of BCP Council in August 2025.
The next highest earner was Cathi Hadley Corporate Director of Children’s Services earned a £175,284 salary and £33,325 pension.
Jillian Kay Corporate Director of Wellbeing earned a salary of £153,726 and a £29,208 pension.
Local authorities in England and Wales are only required to provide names for those with a salary of £150,000 or more.
From June 3, 2024, Chief Operations Officers earned a £137,150 salary and a £25,782 pension.
Also from June 3, 2024, the Director of IT and Programmes earned a £101,409 salary and a £17,762 pension.
Including pensions the Director of Law and Governance earned £151,072, the Director of Finance earned £150,704, and both the Director of marketing, communications and policy and the Director of people and culture earned £133,505.
The remaining 13 highest earners names and job titles are undisclosed.
According to the UK government website, the median weekly pay for full-time employees in the UK was £767 at April 2025. That is roughly £40,000 before tax.
A BCP Council spokesperson said: “We must be able to attract and retain the best candidates to ensure we deliver the highest possible standard of services for our communities.
“Our salaries are benchmarked across the sector and reflect the skills and experience required by senior leaders at an organisation that employs more than 5,000 people and covers an area that has more than 400,000 residents.
“As a transparent and responsible council, we already publish a list of senior roles with a salary of more than £50,000.”