Today we put the pay packets of Oxfordshire’s top public servants under the spotlight.

And it makes for an interesting read.

The top earners include Oxfordshire County Council chief executive Joanna Simons, who takes home £189,158, and Thames Valley Police’s Chief Constable Sara Thornton, who earns £162,756.

Meanwhile, the figures reveal more than 224 people at Oxford University are paid more than £100,000.

Most of us would like to earn money like that, make no mistake.

But then, do most of us have responsibility for multi-million-pound budgets, crucial services and a pay-roll of thousands? No.

The report has been drawn up to show how many public service workers earn more than Prime Minister David Cameron, who is paid £140,000 a year.

If anything, what it succeeds in doing is making an argument for a pay rise for the PM.

After all, the keyholder at Number 10 has the ultimate in terms of jobs with “responsibility”.

But, instead, the Prime Minister led by example and has taken a wage cut.

There is no doubt pay for many public workers at the coalface is pitiful.

The argument that they have greater job security than those working for private firms no longer holds water either, with projected public sector job cuts on the horizon.

However, top jobs need top people.

When compared to some chief executive pay packets at FTSE 100 firms, there is a stark difference.

Some council chiefs could earn a lot more trying to please a few shareholders rather than hundreds of thousands of council taxpayers.

It may be worth bearing in mind.