MORE than 400 planning staff were transferred from central government to the 11 new councils as part of the reform of local government last year, causing a huge swell in staffing bills.
The Irish News reported last week that the 11 new super councils spent £11 million more on staff in their first year than in the final year of the previous 26 combined, with one MLA describing the rising bill as "nonsensical".
The former Department of the Environment estimated last year that the reform, which came into effect in April 2015, is "estimated to deliver projected savings at £20m per year over 25 years."
Asked why the staff bill had increased from £341m to £352m despite the number of councils being slashed, the Department for Communities said "the main reason" was due to an intake of planning staff.
A spokesman said: "The main reason for the increase in staff costs and numbers between 2014/15 and 2015/16 is because, on 1 April 2015, 432 planning staff (400 full-time equivalent) transferred from central government to the new 11 councils.
"These staff and cost increases should be seen in light of an significant increase in income from planning applications."
In addition to planners, seven scientific and technical personnel from NIEA transferred to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and head up local government's Shared Environmental Service.
Only four of the new councils reduced their staff numbers, with the remaining seven councils all increasing their employee intake, and almost half each adding between 30 to 50 extra staff.
Communities Minister, Paul Givan said that the latest figures had not yet been audited and was "subject to review."
The figures were released by the minister in response to a question from Ulster Unionist West Tyrone MLA Ross Hussey, who said: "Ratepayers will be paying for all this and it would appear that the cost saving is non-existent."
However, the department declined to outline how many employees currently earn in excess of £50,000 per annum.
In a response to an assembly question from Ulster Unionist West Tyrone member Ross Hussey, Mr Givan said: "In the 2014/15 financial year 208 council employees received salaries in excess of £50,000 per annum and seven in excess of £100,000 per annum."
The minimum amount earned by a chief executive of a new council in the north this year will be £95,000, with eight councils having set a maximum pay rate of £110,000.
Two councils - Newry, Mourne and Down; and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon - agreed a salary package of between £105,000 and £120,000 for its new chief executives.
The chief executive of Belfast City Council, Suzanne Wylie, will earn a minimum of £120,000 per year, rising to a performance-related maximum of £135,000.
No-one at any council in the north earned more than £150,000 in 2014/15, the only UK region where that was the case.
