CHIEF executive Tim Pilsbury collected a salary, perks and pension package of more than �200,000 in his last year at Fenland District Council.

It was also shown today that Mr Pilsbury was awarded a �15,000 a year salary increase in his final year in charge of the council.

Payments to Mr Pilsbury are revealed for the first time following legislation introduced by Labour which insisted local councils publish full details of their chief executive’s pay.

Newly published accounts from Fenland Council show that Mr Pilsbury, who left at the end of June following his decision to elect for early retirement, was paid a basic salary last year of �149,985.

On top of that he was awarded �13,500 extra in performance related pay and bonuses, another �12,998 for “benefits in kind, e.g. car allowance” giving him a total pay of �176,483. With employers’ pension contributions of �26,097 it took his total package to �202,580.

The accounts also reveal that in the previous year he drew a basic salary of �135,000, a further �12,490 in performance related pay/bonuses, a car allowance/ benefits in kind of �12,988, giving him a total income of �160,488 excluding employers’ pension contribution of �21,195.

Notes in the account show that �13,500 in performance related pay related to the previous year and the �12,490 paid in 2008/9 relates to 2007/8.

The accounts show other top earners included the then deputy chief executive Sandra Claxton who was paid �100,561 last year but with no bonuses and a car allowance that took her final salary (excluding pension contributions) to �111,061.

And compared to her boss’s �15,000 pay rise in 2009/10 the accounts show Fenland Council gave her a more modest rise – just �471 more compared to the previous year.

Mrs Claxton is also expected to have taken the chief executive’s role at a greatly reduced salary to that paid to Mr Pilsbury although this won’t be revealed until next year’s accounts are published

For the first time the accounts tell us how much Mat Taylor, the former finance director who emigrated to Australia and later New Zealand, was paid in the past two years by Fenland Council- a total across both years of �112,648 with a further �8,468 paid out in “benefits in kind” as well as nearly �30,000 paid into his pension fund.

The accounts note Mr Taylor worked part time for the council during 2009/10 and left on February 14. In the preceding financial year it notes he worked full time for the council up until November 15, 2008 and part time thereafter.

The accounts also reveal Fenland Council now has 28 staff earning �50,000 a year or more (excluding employer’s pension contributions) although it is not clear from the accounts whether this figure includes five top earners who left during the year.

Council Leader Alan Melton said he was unable to comment on the salaries paid as they related to decisions made before he took office.

“Be assured, however, the total executive pay roll will, in future, be nothing like this,” he said.