Joanne Roney, managing director of Birmingham City Council, earned close to £400,000 last year, marking her as the highest-paid local authority leader in the UK. Her total remuneration, including salary and pension contributions, amounted to £397,097. This included a base salary of £312,149 and £84,947 in pension contributions from her employer.
In comparison, Prime Minister Andy Burnham receives a salary of £169,344, while the head of the civil service earns approximately £220,000.
Roney’s rise is notable; she hails from a working-class background in Birmingham and began her career as a young apprentice in the council’s housing department before progressing through various local government roles.
READ MORE: Solihull Planners Reject Six-Bed HMO Proposal Near Birmingham Airport
She was not the only senior executive with a considerable income. Seven other senior council executives each earned more than £235,000, according to the council’s annual accounts. Combined, the top ten executives received a total of £2.65 million.
Despite the executive team’s expertise and reported improvements in council operations, government-appointed commissioners remain in oversight roles. These commissioners, installed three years ago, will continue to oversee the council until 2028.
This ongoing intervention reflects caution from the government, even as the commissioners acknowledge there is “good cause for some hope” regarding the council’s recovery after years of financial and operational difficulties. The council’s executive team has been credited with contributing significantly to recent progress.
However, the taxpayers of Birmingham will continue to bear the costs of the commissioners’ fees and expenses. Over the last year, the seven commissioners collectively earned £964,364, with some individuals earning more than £20,000 in a single month.
The council remains under external supervision following a financial crisis declared in 2023, when it effectively entered bankruptcy. A combination of issues, including an equal pay dispute, a failed IT system rollout, unsuccessful investment projects, and escalated housing and social care costs, contributed to the council’s challenges.
Roney and several other current executives were appointed after the intervention and are widely recognised for guiding the council towards recovery. Nonetheless, lead commissioner Tony McArdle, in a January 2026 assurance report, made it clear that commissioners will remain in place until at least 2028, as the council is not yet deemed ready to govern independently.
The report acknowledges that changes in the council are “purposeful and well-directed” and that positive transformation is underway, yet commissioners will continue their stewardship for the foreseeable future.
While some council members had hoped for an earlier departure of commissioners, following the earlier indications by McArdle’s predecessor, Max Caller, these hopes were not realised.
In response to queries about the substantial salaries and payments made in the last year, the council stated: “The senior leadership team comprises the most senior non-political posts in our organisation, with oversight of hundreds of essential services for the 1.2 million residents of Birmingham.”
The council added: “There are processes in place governing senior salary levels to ensure value for money. Recruiting and retaining experienced experts is essential for implementing policy and overseeing performance across vital services. Due to the size and scope of Birmingham Council’s operations, it is often not directly comparable with other councils nationally or regionally, leading to higher salary figures.”
“Our senior leadership team, along with all our staff, remain committed to delivering the services the people of Birmingham need and deserve, ensuring value for money throughout their work,” the council concluded.
With a budget exceeding £4 billion, Birmingham City Council is the largest unitary local authority in the country.
Detailed remuneration for the council’s highest earners in 2025-26, based on draft annual accounts, includes:
- Joanne Roney, Managing Director: £312,149 salary, £84,905 pension contributions, total £397,097
- Richard Brooks, former Director of Strategy, Equalities and Partnerships (left in March): £196,155 salary, £99,289 compensation for loss of office, £40,484 pension contributions, total £336,428
- Carol Culley, Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer: £227,427 salary, £64,218 pension contributions, total £291,645
- Sue Harrison, former Executive Director of Children and Families (departed June): £208,057 salary, £56,592 pension contributions, total £264,648
- Paul Langford, Executive Director of City Housing: £205,600 salary, £55,923 pension contributions, total £261,523
- Stuart Lackenby, Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health: £196,080 salary, £53,334 pension contributions, total £249,414
- Katy Fox, Executive Director of Human Resources, Organisational Development and Transformation: £185,115 salary, £50,351 pension contributions, total £235,466
- Rishi Shori, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director for Strategy, Insight and Governance: £185,115 salary, £50,351 pension contributions, total £235,466
- Richard Lawrence, Executive Director of Place, Prosperity and Sustainability (joined partway through the year): £173,050 salary, £23,506 pension contributions, total £196,556
Among commissioners, Tony McArdle receives £1,200 daily, while Jackie Belton, John Biggs, Myron Hrycyk, Christopher Tambini, Pam Parkes and John Coughlan each earn £1,100 daily. Together, their fees and expenses totalled £964,364 over 12 months, averaging £137,766 each.
We have reached out to managing director Joanne Roney and lead commissioner Tony McArdle to request interviews but have yet to receive a response.