Report by Christine Sexton, BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service

JUST 16 senior staff shared more than £1.1 million when they left their jobs at Basildon Council over the space of four years, it has been revealed.

Bosses received pay-outs worth up to £258,000, either when their roles were eliminated, they decided to leave through mutual agreement, they were made redundant, retired, resigned, or left for other reasons.

Basildon Council said the sums were all in line with contractual agreements.

But trade union bosses have branded the figures an insult to ordinary workers paid "poverty wages".

From 2017/18 to 2020/21 Basildon Council paid £1,153,630.29 to departing senior staff. The sums include pensions, benefits, severance payments, and their annual salaries.

That total includes £258,963 paid to one 'interim director' in the financial year 2020-21. According to Basildon Council's pay policy, the average salary of a council worker was £29,429 that year, meaning the director was given a pay-off worth almost nine times an average employee's salary.

Other pay-outs included £236,661 to a group manager in corporate finance, £236,617 to a group manager, and £166,000 to a human resources and performance manager.

And £166,090.91 went to a chief executive – believed to be Bala Mahendran who left the authority in July 2017.

Sam Leigh, head of local government for public sector trade union Unison in the east of England, criticised the pay-outs in the context of years of pay freezes and low pay rises for ordinary council workers.

She said: "These huge sums lining the pockets of departing executives rubs salt in the wounds of local government workers reeling from years of cuts.

"Before the current cost of living crisis hit, council workers had seen the real value of their wages fall by 25 per cent in the last decade. All the while, councils have pleaded poverty and slashed services so much the marrow is seeping out."

Ms Leigh added there could soon be a backlash against the council.

She said: "As executives got their six-figure payouts, council staff have been tightening their belts.

"But increasing numbers of staff will be considering following those senior managers out of the door. Many supermarkets and hospitality outlets are paying more than the poverty wages you can expect in local councils.

"If we want to carry on seeing councils delivering their vital services, we'll need a major cash injection from central government to pay for it."

A council spokesman said: "Basildon Council is transparent about the pay packages of all senior members of staff and details are available on its website at: www.basildon.gov.uk/opendata

"Payments made to individuals upon their exit are based on statutory requirements and can include any notice period, outstanding annual leave and pension contribution in line with contractual agreements."