MORE than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling for senior Bexley Council officers earning more than £100,000 to take pay cuts.

Bexley Council Monitoring Group started the petition six weeks ago to protest against salaries in excess of £100,000.

Five top earners in Bexley Council take home £733,239 between them, including Chief Executive Will Tuckley, who was named last year as the 37th highest paid local government worker in the UK after receiving a salary package of £206,439, according to figures collected by BBC Panorama and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

So far the petition has got more than 1,000 signatures and organisers are hoping if they can get 2,000 they will be able to trigger a council debate on the subject.

One of the petition organisers Elwyn Bryant, 75, of Salisbury Road, Bexley, said: "The high salaries in Bexley are out of all proportion to the services they provide. The Council can duck and dive as much as they like but this is the people talking now.

"People are shocked about how much they get paid."

A spokesperson from Bexley Council said: “The correct remuneration packages and details of the roles undertaken by each of the Council’s senior management team are published on the Council’s web site. The petition is inaccurate and misleading.

"The Council's senior officers undertake complex and difficult roles that require a high degree of skill and professional expertise. The Council is a large and multifaceted organisation with a turnover of over £500m. We have an admirable track record at reducing cost and being transparent."

The Council also added it would not be appropriate or constitutional to discuss individual officer's pay at a public council meeting.

Last year local government secretary Eric Pickles urged civil servants earning more than £200,000 to take a 10 per cent pay cut and those earning more than £150,000 to take a five per cent pay cut.

Salaries of top officers in Bexley Council

Will Tuckley - Chief Executive: £185,39, with the potential to earn up to £208,983 through performance related pay.

Peter Ellershaw - Director of Environment and Wellbeing: £167,343.

Mark Charters - Director of Education and Social Care: £144,525 with the potential to earn up to £167,343 through performance related pay.

Paul Moore - Director of Customer and Corporate Services £124,19, with the potential to earn up to £136,617 through performance related pay.

Mike Ellsmore - Director of Finance and Resources: £111,77, with the potential to earn up to £136,617 through performance related pay.