KENT County Council’s decision to block the release of the names of staff earning more than £100,000 a year has come under fire from opposition party leaders.

Cllr Mike Eddy, the Labour opposition leader at County Hall, said it was ludicrous the information was being withheld. The leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Cllr Trudy Dean, expressed surprise at the decision.

Last week we revealed how council chief executive Peter Gilroy had stepped in to block a Freedom of Information request for the names because he feared his staff could become the target of public abuse.

KCC released the same information last year, leading to Mr Gilroy being identified as the highest paid council chief in the country.

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KCC deputy leader Cllr Alex King defended the decision, saying the ruling Conservative administration believed senior staff were entitled to privacy over their earnings.

He said: "It has never been the view of the leadership of the county council [that we should] allow our senior people to be put in for a level of criticism that they got last year when the names were revealed."

He added: "It is not fair for people who are doing the job we asked them to do to be put in this position."

But Cllr Eddy said: "If KCC was quite content to give this information last year, it seems quite ludicrous not to give it this year. If other authorities are quite prepared to give this information, there appears to be no general argument to refuse it. On the basis that this is public money, then there is quite clearly a legitimate reason for wanting to know who it is and how much."

Cllr Trudy Dean (Lib Dem) said she wanted to know if the 16 senior officers involved had been invited to say individually if they were prepared to release the information.

"Frankly, I was surprised if they were concerned because I think they are big enough to fight whatever battles are needed. It would be better to ask the individuals involved rather than hide between sweeping statements."

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