Councils facing major job losses and cuts to services still found the money to increase the number of top earners on their payroll.

Two of Sussex’s largest local authorities saw the number of staff earning more than £100,000 increase between 2010/11 and 2011/12.

According to figures released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, East Sussex County Council rewarded 18 staff members with remuneration packages in excess of £100,000 in 2012 – up by six compared to 2011 and the third highest increase in the country.

The council announced late last year it intended to save more than £70 million by cutting an estimated 300 jobs before 2015.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance claims Brighton and Hove City Council had ten employees earning more than £100,000 last year – up by two compared to 2011.

The Argus reported last year how Brighton and Hove City Council plans to save more than £20 million this year by cutting 160 posts and reducing children’s services and adult social care budgets.

Its chief executive, Penny Thompson, is paid a salary of £150,000 per year – around £16,000 less than her predecessor, John Barradell.

The city council disputes the Tax- Payers’ Alliance figures, instead claiming the number of staff earning six-figure sums fell from eight staff in 2011 to seven last year.

Nationally, the number of council staff on £100,000+ remuneration packages fell by 11%, to 2,525. New figures published by the Tax- Payers’ Alliance reveal 74 council employees in Sussex were paid in excess of £100,000 in 2012.

Across the county the wage bill for council staff on £100,000+ pay packets fell from £11,607,238.

Matthew Sinclair, the chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, accused councils of creating “town hall tycoons”.

He added: “It is incredible that some councils have increased spending on high earning staff this year after a decade in which council tax doubled across the country and when every local authority needs to find savings and ease the burden.”

Alex Knutsen, from Unison, said: “It could be argued that they have the figures the wrong way round, in a sense that people on the lower end of the wage scale should be paid more.

“But it’s important to remember that people at the top need to be paid realistic salaries if we want the best results.”

East Sussex Lib Dem councillor David Tutt said the county council had to look at the pay packets of its top earners.

He said: “There have already been a lot of high profile redundancies in East Sussex but I think the question has to be asked if the current level of salaries at the high end is sustainable.

“The taxpayer will be asking if they are really justifiable.”