Reform UK-Led Council Paid Worker £457k in Taxpayer-Funded NDA Deal
A Staffordshire County Council employee was reportedly handed a staggering £457,500 of taxpayers' money in a deal covered by a non-disclosure agreement. The huge sum, which is more than twice the Prime Minister's annual salary, was paid out by the Reform UK-run council during the 2024/25 financial year.
Details of the Payment and Council Response
The payment appeared in the so-called Town Hall Rich List, a compilation of top-earning local authority officials put together by the right-leaning Taxpayers' Alliance group. When asked for comment, Staffordshire County Council, which has increased council tax by 3.99 percent for 2026/27, clarified that the sum was not a salary but related to a "matter covered by an NDA." The council stated it could not provide further details and no other information was available at this time.
National Context and Taxpayers' Alliance Findings
Nationally, the Taxpayers' Alliance reported that more than 300 council employees earned more than the Prime Minister last year. Specifically, 320 council workers across the UK received more than Sir Keir Starmer's official salary of £172,153 during the 2024-25 financial year. The pressure group claimed the number of local authority employees earning above the PM's pay had grown by a third compared to the previous year.
According to the TPA's annual report:
- 4,733 council employees across Britain and Northern Ireland were paid more than £100,000, which is 827 more than the previous year's analysis.
- This figure represents the highest level since the TPA began keeping records in 2007.
- 1,255 employees earned at least £150,000 in the last year, a rise of more than 163 people from earlier data.
Criticism from Taxpayers' Alliance
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, expressed strong criticism, stating: "Taxpayers are caught in a pincer movement with a record-breaking tax burden on one side and a bloated public sector feathering its nest on the other. Our latest Town Hall Rich List exposes a surging class of council bosses enjoying six-figure packages, even as they plead poverty, slash frontline services, and hike council tax bills far beyond inflation. Residents can see exactly how many local bureaucrats are receiving plush packages and judge for themselves whether they’re getting value for money."
The revelation has sparked debate over transparency and accountability in local government spending, particularly as councils face financial pressures and rising costs for residents.
