Kent County Council chief executive Peter Gilroy remains one of the highest paid town hall bosses in the country with a salary of £207,000.

The county council confirmed the details of Mr Gilroy’s salary - which does not take into account a performance bonus - after the publication of a survey of the earnings of council chiefs across the country.

Mr Gilroy’s details were not included in the survey, by the The Taxpayers' Alliance, because the council had refused to disclose the names of staff it employed who earned more than £100,000 last year.

However, in a statement Cllr Alex King, KCC deputy leader, said: "The chief executive manages the biggest shire authority in the country which remains consistently excellent as independently defined by the Audit Commission, with an annual budget of £1.8 billion and over 40,000 staff.

"In recognition of this, the council's personnel committee, which consists of elected members from all the political parties, agreed to renew his contract in November 2006 on a total salary of £207,000 per annum and provision for a performance-related bonus.

"He receives no company car, health insurance, mortgage relief or any other fringe benefit."

He went on to say that KCC had withheld the names of staff earning more than £100,000 on legal advice "relating to human rights and data protection".

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Mr Gilroy is one of just six council chief executives earning more than £200,000. He is also one of 14 chiefs who earn more than the Prime Minister.

The Kent Messenger Group revealed how KCC was seeking to block the release of the information after Mr Gilroy said he had endured an "horrendous time" and public abuse since the publication of his earnings in a survey by the TPA last year.

The TPA named the county council as one of five to have produced "the most ludicrous local authority excuses for withholding information".

Maidstone Council revealed its chief executive David Petford earned £110,407 in 2006-2007 while Tonbridge and Malling chief executive David Hughes earned £106,544.

Tunbridge Wells did not name their chief executive in its response to the survey but confirmed earnings of £134,265.

In Medway, three officers were identified as earning more than £100,000: chief executive Neil Davies (£117,00); Ann Windiate (£113,814); Rose Collinson (£100,353).

In Ashford, chief executive David Hill is identified as earning £109,014.

Both Thanet District Council and Gravesham council did not respond to Freedom of Information requests. Dover provided salary details of one officer paid more than £100,000 but refused to say who it was or what the position was.

~ See the full report on the Taxpayers' Alliance website >>>