THE chief executive of Dorset County Council, Debbie Ward, collected £181,000 in 2016/17 - making her the highest paid council officer in the county.

In the annual report from the Taxpayers' Alliance, Dorset County Council was also named the local authority with the most employees who received more than £100,000 in the south west.

Twenty members of staff were paid more than £100,000 in 2016/17 - placing the council in the top 20 for the number of highest paid officers in the country.

The figures for all the town hall employees include pension contributions.

For example, Debbie Ward's salary is listed as £150,000, with £31,000 additional pension contributions.

The chief executive of Borough of Poole, Andrew Flockhart's salary is £118,042 and he also receives £21,838 in pension contributions.

At County Hall, Mike Harries, the director for environment and economy earned £144,000, with the previous director for children's services, Sara Tough, earning the same.

The director of Dorset Waste Partnership, Karyn Punchard, who came into post in June 2016, took £104,000.

According to the Taxpayers' Alliance figures, 16 other Dorset County Council employees received between £102,500 and £182,500. They are not named on the official list.

In Bournemouth, the biggest remuneration package in the region was paid to former council chief executive Tony Williams.

He was paid £538,000 - one of the highest in the country during 2016/17. Mr Williams died last month after a short battle with liver cancer.

His package when he left the council was £390,000. 

The figures from Taxpayers Alliance also show another unknown employee was given a £512,500 package in this year. However, Bournemouth Council are contesting this figure as they do not recognise it.

Jane Portman, who is now the borough's head of paid service, was paid £141,000 (including pension) for her previous role as executive director for adults and children and deputy chief executive.

Bill Cotton, executive director for environment and economy received £126,000 and Tanya Coulter, service director for legal and democratic services was paid £109,000.

Four unnamed officers received remuneration payments between £102,000 and £117,000.

In Poole, chief executive Andrew Flockhart received £139,880, while strategic director for people, Jan Thurgood received £127,526.

Strategic director for place, Kate Ryan received £115,856 while the service unit head for financial services got £121,815.

The service unit head for children and young people received £100,381 for the year.

Two officers received compensation for loss of office - the service unit head for planning and regeneration and service unit head for human resources.

And two employees, listed as unknown, received £112,500 and £102,500.

In Purbeck, chief executive Steve Mackenzie received £100,000.

The chief executive of Christchurch and East Dorset councils, David McIntosh received £140,371.

Three strategic directors, two of which were Ian Milner and David Barnes, received between £102,000 and £104,000.