THE chief executive of Redbridge Council earns more than Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Guardian can reveal.

The authority’s top earner Roger Hampson enjoyed an inflation-busting 31 per cent rise in his basic maximum salary last year taking him to a whopping £190,002.

But as he also receives ‘additional fees’ for his role as borough returning officer - amounting to £8,072 in 2006/07 - possibly taking the grand total to more than the £194,250 Gordon Brown currently earns.

Beautician Marilyn Brown, 40, of Kings Avenue, Woodford Green, slammed the “outrageous” increase and called for standardised wage rises across the council.

The mum-of-four added: “Why should teachers or street sweepers get less of an increase than the chief executive? These fat cats are already on astronomical salaries and the value for money they provide the taxpayer is laughable.”

Redbridge currently has seven officers earning more than £100,000, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act. The current average UK salary is £24,908 Campaign group the TaxPayers' Alliance first requested the figures for their Town Hall Rich List published two weeks ago but they have only just been released.

Policy analyst Maria Fort said: “The size of council executives’ pay and perks is staggering, and every year the cost continues to rise.

“The fact that executives who have overseen increases in council tax, cuts in services and major policy failures are getting ever more generously rewarded is frustrating for taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet.

“With bills rising and services stagnating, in too many town halls there is a culture of rewarding failure.

“Councils must start tightening their belts we’re in a recession and many of these rewards are financially unsustainable and morally indefensible."

A council spokesman said: “It was never the council's intention to withhold this information but due to an unfortunate series of events including ill health and family bereavements which caused a number of key members of staff to be absent at the same time, we were unable to supply the Taxpayers' Alliance with the details within the 20 day time limit.

"This is not a new story and is one which the Taxpayer's Alliance publishes every year. It is also not unique to Redbridge.

"These figures relate to staff who earn more than £100,000, of which Redbridge Council only has seven out of an 3,000-strong workforce.

"We believe the taxpayer does receive value for money especially when you compare council salaries to the private sector.

"The chief executive's salary has increased to bring it in in line with the middle range of other London Borough CE salaries.

"For the second year in a row Redbridge Council has been awarded the maximum score for the way it manages its finances and resources.

"This places the Council in the top ten per cent for its use of resources across the country.

"The Council has scored more highly in the CPA and Direction of Travel than ever before, and has just won the prestigious LGC award for innovation.

"As a council we spend over £800 million a year on vital services like schools and social and adult care and many of those responsible for ensuring we deliver excellent services to local residents are responsible for these multi-million pound budgets and services.

"Redbridge Council has bigger budgets than many FTSE100 companies and we need to pay competitive wages to fill these posts which would otherwise be left vacant."