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UKIP's local government spokesman has criticised fat cat council pay packets

The TaxPayers' Alliance reports that the number of council employees on six-figure salaries rose by 14 percent last year, to 1,250.

In all, 31 officials now earn more than the Prime Minister, with 219 earning more than cabinet ministers.

UKIP councillors across the country have long been complaining about excessively high levels of remuneration and rewards available to Council Executives while front-line staff and services are being cut.

Cllr Peter Reeve said: "This practice simply must stop. UK taxpayers have been abused for too long. It is time for some straight talking. It is time for real change."

Rules forcing councils to publish the pay and perks of staff on more than £150,000 came into force last week.

According to freedom of information requests by the TaxPayers' Alliance, the average 2008/9 increase in value of pay and perks of the top earners was 5 percent - twice that received by nurses and teachers.

TaxPayers' Alliance policy analyst John O'Connell told the BBC: "Town hall bosses have had a very good recession at taxpayers' expense.

"More of them than ever are earning massive amounts and they even enjoyed a healthy pay rise while everyone else was suffering pay freezes, cuts or redundancies.

"It is unfair that these public servants have been having a whale of a time while the ordinary taxpayers who fund their generous deals have been struggling to survive the recession."

Source: ©UKIP