We have a curious obsession in this country with how much people earn. And the more they earn, the less, it seems, we think they deserve it.

While for most of us a £100,000-plus salary is the stuff of dreams, running a multi-million pound local authority is not something most of us either aspire to or are qualified to do. Without question, we believe that those who do run our council services for us should be well-qualified, highly able and very hard-working.

If that is the case, should we not offer the sort of salaries that attract the best people?

There was nothing in this week’s figures released by the Taxpayers’ Alliance to suggest anything other than that our local authorities are paying the market rate for the people that lead them.

Indeed, if they were leading private businesses of a similar scale, they would be more highly rewarded, particularly with bonuses.

Of more importance than what they are earning is how well they are running their authorities. Those who can be shown to be running their authorities in the most effective manner should be rewarded accordingly — as should all those playing their part at whatever level.