A senior council planning director for a Kent council received a staggering £247,207 pay-off as compensation for losing his job, we can reveal.

The compensation was paid to the director of planning and development at Tunbridge Wells, Jonathan MacDonald, who left his role last year in a management shake-up that saw the authority’s senior board cut from three to two.

He had worked for the council since 2010 and oversaw a number of key projects, including a £14m asset disposal and improving the town’s appearance.

According to the council’s own statement of accounts, Mr MacDonald was paid a salary of £100,064 but his compensation for the loss of his job was more than twice that - meaning his overall earnings for the year was an eye-watering £358,947.

In a statement, the council said: “The council was required to make this payment as statutory compensation for loss of employment following a restructure.”

The revelation comes as a survey by the spending watchdog the Taxpayers’ Alliance of town hall pay showed Kent County Council had 20 senior officers earning more than £100,000.

However, the survey of salaries earned by the most senior officials of every single council suggests KCC has reined in the remuneration and employs fewer senior top earners than some.

It has six fewer officials earning more than £100,000 than it did the previous year, when it had the largest number of highly-paid officers in the south east.

This year, it has been overtaken by Hampshire county council, which has 21.

KCC’s top earner is David Cockburn, the corporate director for business strategy and support.

His total package in 2016-17 is £243,264. That includes salary of £193,385; pension contribution of £42,219 and other payments totalling £7,680.

Second was Andrew Ireland, the recently retired director of families and social care.

His total earnings for the year were £229,151, including a pension contribution of £39,770.

Third was Patrick Leeson, director of families and social care, who also retired this year.

His overall earnings were £206,575 which included a pension contribution of £38,852 and an unidentified other payment of £5,523.

Cllr John Simmonds, KCC Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "Kent County Council is one of the largest local authorities in the UK.

"Over the past few years we have faced a huge financial challenge to continue to deliver and improve vital services.”

“Since 2010, we have lost £300m of Government grant and had to make savings of £600m.

"Without the staff skills that we have, we could never have achieved these without irreparable damage to front-line services.

“It is imperative that we have the skills to manage such a dramatic transition.

"I am both proud and relieved that we have retained the staff that we have and the front line services that we provide.

"It is for these reasons that the staff are worth every penny of their salaries.”

John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The average council tax bill has gone up by more than £900 over the last 20 years and spending has gone through the roof. "Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services rather than scaling back top pay.”

Additional details on top salaries earned by KCC officers show that 14 unidentified senior managers were paid more than £100,000.

Of these, one earned: £157,000 and another earned £152,500. Two earned £132,500 and four received packages totalling £112,500.