THE highest earning council workers in Cumbria have been revealed following a nationwide report from the Taxpayer Alliance.

According to the report findings at least 2,802 people employed by local authorities in 2019-20 received more than £100,000 in total remuneration, an increase of 135 on 2018-19.

Of those, 693 received over £150,000, 26 more than the previous year.

The number of council staff costing the taxpayer more than £100,000 a year stood at 20 in the year 2019-2020, the documents revealed.

Here is the list of the named borough council staff in the list:

Jason Gooding:

- Position: Chief executive of Carlisle City Council

- Cost per year: £139,000

Darren Crossley:

- Position: Deputy chief executive of Carlisle City Council

- Cost per year: £111,000

Sam Plum:

- Position: Chief executive of Barrow Borough Council

- Cost per year: £105,000

Here is the staff of Cumbria County Council staff in the list:

Katherine Fairclough:

- Position: Chief executive of Cumbria County Council

- Cost per year: £170,723

Dawn Roberts

- Position: Executive director – corporate, customer & community services

- Cost per year: £152,432

Angela Jones:

- Position: Executive director - economy & infrastructure services "acting executive director from 1/12/18 to 21/11/19)

- Cost per year: £152,432

Steve Healey

- Position: Chief fire officer

- Cost per year: £144,088

Colin Cox

- Position: Director of public health

- Cost per year: £118,964

Julie Crellin

- Position: Director of finance

- Cost per year: £118,164

Iolanda Puzio

- Position: Chief legal officer

- Cost per year: £118,164

The cost per year includes salary plus pension and expenses.

There were 10 other staff members who cost the taxpayer over £100,000 between 2019-2020 but their details were not disclosed.

In response to this list, a Cumbria County Council spokesman said: "The Council's approach to pay is to reward its staff appropriately taking into account the need to ensure value for money in respect of the use of public expenditure, balanced against the need to recruit and retain employees who can make the council an effective and efficient organisation that delivers the best possible services for the people of Cumbria within its available resources."