The number of City Hall staff earning more than £100,000 has soared to more than 1,100 so-called ‘fat cats’, according to a new 2024 rich list.
A total of 1,146 staff, including at Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime – which reviews the work of the Met Police – made the grade in 2022 to 2023.
This is up almost 75 per cent, from the 655 who earned above this level in 2018 to 2019, according to new research from the Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA).
Political opponents called the findings “cronyism” and “a big gravy train.”
Elliot Keck, TPA head of campaigns, said the number of “fat cats has increased” while Londoners “have seen their council tax bills balloon”.
Mayor Sadiq Khan’s own remuneration package of £171,587 – including £1,159 in expenses and £18,260 in pension contributions – puts him in the top 100 paid, in 104th place.
A spokesperson for Khan said City AM: “As mayor of one of the biggest cities in the world, Sadiq makes no apologies for offering competitive salaries to attract the experienced staff needed to help him deliver on the issues that matter most to Londoners.”
Topping the highest paid list is Jim Crawford, head of program at Crossrail, who secured £499,447 for his services that year before leaving TfL in January 2023.
Other highly paid staff included Mark Wild, Crossrail CEO, on £468,875, before he resigned last May; TfL Commissioner Andy Lord on £363,680; and TfL chief capital officer Stuart Harvey, who received £337,846.
While Chris Binns received £316,055 from Crossrail including a retention payment before he left in December 2022; TfL chief financial officer Rachel McLean secured £347,713, including a retention payment; and TfL’s head of procurement Jonathan Patrick was paid £304,454, before leaving in November 2022.
The top 10 was rounded out by three “undisclosed” people, all listed as TfL employees, who received £482,500, £292,500 and £267,500 respectively.
“City Hall is now bursting at the seams with the growing number of officials taking home the big bucks,” Keck added.
“Khan should give taxpayers a break and keep the lid on these senior salaries, especially when the services have been so poorly run.”
Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall said: “Under Khan, City Hall has turned into one big train, with hundreds of staff on salaries higher than the top four per cent in the country.
“Many of the staff directly responsible for bringing in the ULEZ expansion earn over £100,000, paid for by the poorest Londoners through his £12.50 a day tax.”
She added: “Khan won’t listen to Londoners, but I will.
“Under my mayoralty, City Hall will be leaner and focused on serving Londoners, not wasting money or taxing the poorest through the ULEZ expansion.”
While Liberal Democrat hopeful Rob Blackie said high wages were “reasonable” if people “do a good job” but added: “Since Khan became mayor, the police have caught rapists half as often as they did, and the pipe continues to break.
“The problem is that he’s handing out jobs to people who are loyal, rather than efficient. It should be no surprise that we have problems when cronies trump competence.”
The Mayor’s spokesperson said: “The Mayor wants to ensure London’s public transport system and reformed policing are the very best in the world, and this means attracting the very best talent and expertise.
“He continues to deliver for Londoners: providing free school meals for all state primary school children, building a record number of council homes, cracking down on crime and making public transport better and more affordable for millions of Londoners, in addition to world… leading action to tackle the climate crisis and air pollution .”
