It is the information they did not want you - or their colleagues - to know.

But today, for the first time, The Argus can reveal the salaries of Brighton and Hove City Council's top earners.

The authority, which tried to cover up details of the six-figure pay packets, was criticised earlier this month for telling The Argus it was "none of your business".

The council's stance has been rejected on appeal by its own freedom of information (FOI) boss, Jane Lucas, who ruled disclosure was in the public interest.

The Argus today publishes the details. They reveal chief executive Alan McCarthy earned £157,117 last year, £20,000 more than Chancellor Gordon Brown, who is in charge of running the country's economy. Corin Taylor, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, the lobby group behind the rejected FOI request to the council, said: "Finally, taxpayers in Brighton can decide for themselves whether the council's senior staff are worth their massive pay deals."

Mr McCarthy was paid about £150,000 as a basic salary and £7,835 as returning officer for the next election. David Hawker, director of the children and young people's trust, received £113,280 - £13,000 more than junior ministers such as Harriet Harman and Geoff Hoon.

Civil service departments in Whitehall and all public limited companies have to reveal top earners' salaries.

But Brighton and Hove City Council was one of 17 local authorities in the country to refuse to disclose details.

Earlier this month, The Argus reported how council spokesman Brian Walsh refused to name council officials earning more than £100,000, saying: "It's none of your business. I don't see why we should tell you."

A council spokesman said yesterday: "Our chief executive and directors are running an organisation with 7,500 staff and a gross budget of about £500 million. They are responsible for hundreds of important jobs local people rely upon every day - refuse collection, schools and child protection, looking after the elderly, running the libraries and leisure centres and distributing housing benefit.

"Executives in the private sector - and indeed in some other branches of the public sector - are paid considerably more for similar levels of responsibility.

It is recognised by everyone in the recruitment industry that you have to pay a suitable wage to attract the best and brightest people to deliver value for money.

"The Audit Commission recently rated the council as good and said we were improving well. Taxpayers will expect to see further improvements.

"We are no different from any other organisation in having to pay the going rate to attract and retain the staff needed to achieve these improvements."

Are the top public servants earning too much? Have your say below.