Three senior Kingston Council staff have been given pay rises which could ultimately see their combined salaries rise by up to £50,000.

But Kingston Council said the move reflects their increased responsibilities – and is ultimately saving taxpayers £120,000 a year.

Last week, the council’s senior staff panel signed off pay rises for director of children’s services Nick Whitfield, director of health and adult services David Smith and Scott Herbertson, head of cultural services and lifelong learning.

It is understood both Mr Whitfield and Mr Smith will receive annual salaries in excess of £140,000, up from about £120,000.

Both are employed by different organisations – Richmond Council and the Kingston Clinical Commissioning Group respectively – and Kingston will pay half of their wages.

Meanwhile Mr Herbertson has been moved into the council’s top pay band of between £97,278 and £107,778 per year.

Kingston Council leader Derek Osbourne said the move reflected the officers’ increased responsibilities as the council merged some of its services with Richmond.

Coun Osbourne said: “Nick is now the director of two boroughs, not one, while David spans two significant organisations.

"Scott has taken on a significant increase in his role, and all he’s getting at the moment is an extra £1,800 a year.”

A Kingston Council spokesman said: “These posts will save the council £120,000 a year on senior management costs.

“The appointments are the result of integrating health and social care, and our joint Achieving for Children service with Richmond Council – measures designed to achieve better outcomes for the people of Kingston, greater resilience and an overall reduction in senior manager costs.”

But Conservative group leader Howard Jones said: “We are looking at a rise in salary for senior members which were not open to scrutiny and were decided by a closed in-house panel.

“The remuneration packages for senior staff exceed what is appropriate in this day and age, when so many are getting by on fixed or reduced salaries and continue to pay the highest council tax rate in London, together with some of the heaviest utility bills in the country.”