COUNCIL bosses from Hampshire and West Sussex have made it into the UK top 20 for high earners, according to the 2012 Tax Payers Alliance Town Hall Rich List.

Hampshire County Council came second in the top 20 for staff members on more than £100,000 per year with 38 high-earning employees. West Sussex was 18th with 21.

Coming near the top of the list was Andrew Smith, chief executive of Hampshire County Council, on an annual salary of almost a quarter of a million pounds.

And John Coughlan, the county council's former director of children's services and deputy chief executive, came a pretty close second before he left with a salary of more than £200,000, including fees, allowances other and pension contributions.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.