THE number of local government positions in Dorset earning over £100,000 rose last year.

While the county council saw a drop from 15 top-earners in 2014/15 to 12 in 2015/16, and Bournemouth and Poole unitaries remained steady at four and three respectively, four of the district councils saw an increase.

In North Dorset the number of executives earning over £100,000 rose from none to three, East Dorset saw a rise from one to two and West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland from one to four.

However, a spokesman for the Dorset Councils Partnership (North Dorset, West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland), said all three councils shared their senior executives.

He said: "We’ve moved to having a shared executive between North Dorset District Council, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council and West Dorset District Council.

"So the same people have been counted three times. And we’ve actually saved money."

He added: "We have one set of staff for all three councils. So at an executive level we have one chief executive, three strategic directors, and an assistant chief executive. The latter of these posts is under £100,000."

Debbie Ward, the Chief Executive at Dorset County Council: "As the largest Local Authority in Dorset the demands on senior managers has grown significant as the County Council has continued to reduce the number of senior staff and the pay bill to help in achieving significant savings as a result of government reductions in funding.

"The figures quoted are not the salaries that are paid as they also include the overheads of employing the staff. The salary details were published most recently in January 2017 and confirm the actual salary level and the shared costs for posts employed with other Local authorities including 3 listed as County Council employees who work for Bournemouth BC, Poole Council and the County Council.

"The difference between our lowest paid employees and our highest has continued to reduce, unlike the published figures from large companies, as has the cost of the employment package for the Chief Executive role which is now less than it was in 2009/10.

"All our staff play important roles in our communities and these senior staff are important in leading our services and staff through very significant times of change.”

The figures, from the TaxPayers’ Alliance group's annual 'Town Hall Rich List', show fewer figures earning over £150,000. These include the county council's chief executive Debbie Ward, who received remuneration of £176,000 in 2014/15 and £180,000 the following year.

Bournemouth's outgoing chief executive Tony Williams earned £148,000 in 2014/15 and £150,000 the following year.

The Alliance said: "Council tax bills have just been issued for this financial year, and many taxpayers will see significant increases.

"At least a third of Britain’s biggest councils have already announced council tax increases by 4.99 per cent, the maximum increase that does not require a referendum.

"Councils have justified this, in part, by saying that they have made all the savings they can. However, our Town Hall Rich List shows that many local authorities increased the amount they spent on senior management in 2015-16."