Fifteen staff made redundant last year by Fenland Council shared ‘exit packages’ of £251,000, says a report to councillors.

It compares to £111,000 the previous year when 12 employees lost their jobs.

Details surrounding pay and conditions are part of the annual accounts now before the council governance committee.

Councils are obliged to record in their annual accounts details of their high earners and the numbers earning over £50,000 a year.

There are now 21 earning between £50,000-£65,000, six earning between £70,00 to £90,000 , one earning between £115,000 and £120,000 and chief executive Paul Medd, the highest paid employee, near the top of the £135,000-£140,000 a year bracket.

The report says an increase from 2013/14 to 2014/15 is due to pay progression within individuals’ terms and conditions, the nationally agreed cost of living increases and severance payment relating to four posts made redundant during 2014/15.

The figures show Mr Medd’s total package to be worth £162,992; it is made up of a basic salary of £137,600, £2,000 health care insurance and £23,392 in pension contributions.

His finance chief Rob Bridge pulled in a total package last year worth £133,350 and that also includes £10,000 “benefits in kind” (for example car allowance) plus £17,850 in pension contributions. His basic salary remained at £105,000 a year.

The council also revealed 15 staff were made redundant last year, eight of them earning £20,000 a year or less, six earning between £20,000 and £40,000 and one on a salary in the £40,000 to £60,000 bracket.

Making the eight lower paid employees redundant cost the council £48,000 and they forked out £159,000 in exit packages for the six middle earners. The highest paid employee to be made redundant left with an exit package worth £44,000, bringing the total to the year to £251,000. In the previous year exit packages cost the council £111,000 when 12 staff were made redundant.

However councillors spent less last year with allowances claimed dropping from £327,000 to £310,000 and expenses falling from £18,000 to £13,000.