By political editor Paul Francis

Some of Kent's highest ranking council and health chiefs would need to have their salaries formally approved by the Government in a crackdown on public sector pay.

Gordon Brown has said that any public sector salary above £150,000 will have to be agreed by the Treasury after saying that, in some cases, pay packages had been excessive and unjustified.

The pledge to curb what has been dubbed 'fat cat' salaries for public sector chiefs comes as Kent County Council begins its search for a successor to its current chief executive Peter Gilroy, whose six-figure salary has made him among one of the highest earners in local government.

In 2007-2008, his total remuneration was £238,165.

But under Gordon Brown's scheme, five other senior county council officials would, on the basis of remuneration levels detailed in the authority's accounts, also need their salaries approved. Their identities are not known, but two earned between £170,000 and £179,000 in 2008-2009 and one earned between £190,000 and £199,999.

The crackdown would also capture a number of the county’s health bosses and quango chiefs.

Setting out his plans, Mr Brown said: "Public service is admirable, important and it deserves fair reward and we must never forget that our priority is excellence at the front line. But in the wider public sector, some senior pay and perks packages have lost sight with this goal and lost touch with the reality of people's lives."

He added: "Money which should be spent on health, schools, policing and social services is in some cases going on excessive salaries and unjustified bonuses far beyond the expectations of the majority of workers. This culture of excess must change and will change."

According to a recent survey conducted by the lobby group the Taxpayers Alliance, Glenn Douglas, the chief executive of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells trust, earned £197,500 last year and he too would need to have his salary approved.

Another likely to be affected is Pam Alexander, the chief executive of SEEDA, who according to the Taxpayers' Alliance earned £218,453 last year, including a bonus of £25,219.

Gordon Brown's pledge echoes a similar Conservative promise that any public sector salary in excess of the £191,000 paid to the Prime Minister would have to be signed off by the Treasury.