A rich list of council executives has revealed the highest town hall earners in Sussex.

More than a dozen officers across the county earned £100,000 or more in the year ending April 2007, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Sussex's biggest council salary was taken home by Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive Alan McCarthy.

At £159,000, his earnings were up by 1.2 per cent on the previous year and more than £20,000 above the £137,579 taken home by a Cabinet minister.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown earns £188,849, including his MP's salary.

Mr McCarthy was joined at the council by five other top earners, each on more than £100,000, including the assistant director of "quality of life and green spaces" and the former headteacher of Cardinal Newman school.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "In a market economy everyone's salaries reflect the demand for and supply of certain skills and knowledge.

"Directors and the chief executives of unitary councils like this are running businesses with a £700 million-plus turnover. These jobs and salaries are openly advertised and subject to competitive interviews.

"If there were huge numbers of people willing and able to do the job, salaries would be lower. But that is evidently not the case."

Alex Knutsen, Unison branch secretary, said the council should spend more time ensuring fair pay for those further down the earnings scale.

In 2005-6, the top earner in Sussex was Sheryl Grady, then Worthing Borough Council's chief executive, who had gone on sick leave in December 2003.

She took early retirement and received an undisclosed pay-off. Her total earnings were £170,000, according to figures released to the TaxPayers' Alliance.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Alliance, said: "Taxpayers have a right to know how much senior town hall officials are being paid because only then can we judge whether they deserve their remuneration.

"Too often council executives are rewarded handsomely even when they fail. Families and pensioners are struggling with the demands of yet another council tax rise and councils owe it to them to cut back on executive pay hikes."

Arun District Council and East Sussex County Council rejected the TaxPayers' Alliance freedom of information request.

Ben Farrugia, TaxPayers' Alliance policy analyst, said: "Some local government executives still feel that what they're paid is not the taxpayer's business.

"But with council tax bills now tipping many families over the edge it is more important than ever that councils are open and transparent about their costs.

"Council employees must be accountable to the local residents who pay them."

Do you think council officers deserve to be paid so much? Leave your comments below