The number of Redbridge Council officials receiving pay packets of more than £100,000 has fallen from eight to six in the past year.

According to the annual Town Hall Rich List drawn up by the Taxpayers’ Alliance pressure group, department directors are paid the highest salaries.

Chief executive Roger Hampson enjoys one of the largest renumeration packages for the post in the country, taking home £223,478 in salary and pension contributions.

His basic pay, at £181,542, is roughly 12 times the amount paid to the lowest grade of council employees – £15,368.

According to the council website, Mr Hampson chooses not to claim expenses for travelling and other costs or to join the private healthcare scheme offered.

With the exception of Mr Hampson, whose renumeration has not changed, and director of finance and resources Geoffrey Pearce, whose £169,431 pay has marginally fallen, all the other directors are getting more money than last year.

The director of children’s services, Pat Reynolds, is now awarded £163,980 – up from £161,513 in salary and pension contributions.

The director of environment and community services Simon Barry, and John Powell, the director of adult social services and housing, both received “other payments” of £3,029, bringing their renumeration to £157,845 and £158,121 respectively.

The borough solicitor and secretary, Simon Goodwin, earned £131,444.

A council spokesman said councillors annually set a pay policy for all staff that is agreed at a meeting of the full council.

She added: “It describes the careful approach adopted to ensure that salaries are at the proper level.

“Most of the terms and conditions for senior officers are set at the national level and have remained frozen for four years.”

Council leader Cllr Keith Prince said the high salaries represent “good value” by maintaining stability in management.

He added: “In Redbridge we do a pretty good job of what we do and we do it at a low cost.

“We pay them a bit more but you get a million pounds more as a result and I think that’s a good deal.”