NUMBERS of Suffolk County Council staff earning more than �50,000 a year increased nine-fold in just over a decade, it has emerged.

NUMBERS of Suffolk County Council staff earning more than �50,000 a year increased nine-fold in just over a decade, it has emerged.

The TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA), which researched the figures, revealed the county had seen a sharp rise in “middle managers”.

The county council had 19 staff earning above �50,000 in 1996-7. This increased to 137 in 2006-7 and 169 in 2007-8, costing council taxpayers �10.695million and residents �15.06 per head.

TPA chief executive Matthew Elliott accused councils of “ignoring economic reality” by handing out more pay rises than taxpayers can afford.

“In the private sector thousands of people are losing their jobs, yet councils are better staffed and better paid than ever.

“Council tax bills are cripplingly high, and town halls must change their ways to bring the bill down.”

But council leader Jeremy Pembroke said: “We have managed our finances, staff, and pay very efficiently since taking over the administration in 2005.

“We have made �60m of efficiency savings and under out new chief executive, we are set to cut another �12m, half of which will go towards adult social care.”

In Ipswich council taxpayers also had to pay �10 a head for staff earning more than �50,000 at the borough.

John Carnall, deputy leader of Ipswich council, said: “We welcome the work of the TaxPayers' Alliance in providing additional scrutiny on council spending but in our case their figures are not correct.

“There are currently 16 staff at Ipswich Borough Council receiving �50,000 a year salaries or above. That figure has increased from 14 in September 2007. This council's priority is to keep management costs to a minimum while protecting frontline services.”