More than 60 officers at Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) took home over £50,000 during the most recent financial year.
This figure is up from the 53 employees who featured in last summer’s list, with most of the increase coming from a country-wide pay rise which saw the salary of some officers at the combined authority reach beyond the £50K threshold for the first time.
The total figure provided by TVCA for 2025/26 – of 62 employees on over £50,000 – only includes permanent staff, meaning two out of the three ‘golden triangle’ statutory officers – monitoring officer and chief finance officer – have not been included in the latest list, as they were held on an interim basis during much of the last financial year, and ranked as two of TVCA’s highest earners.
The highest paid officer at TVCA is, unsurprisingly, the chief executive. This role is held by Tom Bryant, who earns £165,120 a year, up from £160,000 in the 2025 list. Below him are fellow six-figure earners, such as the director of business solutions.
As a result of the 3.2 per cent 2025 pay award, more salaries from grade level O and some from grade level N now qualify for the high earners’ list, as the threshold at which salaries have to be published – £50,000 – has not increased with inflation, or by any amount, for that matter.
All salaries in the latest list under the National Joint Council (NCJ) banding are subject to the 2026 pay offer, which hasn’t been agreed yet.
The bands do not include the highest earners such as the chief executive or director of infrastructure. Director negotiations happen under a separate body, with the chief executive’s salary negotiated separately to directors.
Salaries of officers across various NCJ bands are likely to increase by a uniform percentage, when negotiations reach a conclusion – this increase will be backdated to the beginning of the current financial year.
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Not all TVCA salaries are as high-flying as those who lead directorates. For example, the head of net zero takes home between £65,000 and £67,000 a year – one of four net zero officer jobs at the combined authority to receive remuneration of over £50,000. Last year, just two net zero jobs reached the £50K threshold.
A TVCA spokesperson said: “The TVCA has responsibility for billions of pounds to drive investment, jobs and better infrastructure across our region. The authority requires talented staff and leaders to help it reach our goals, improve and deliver for the people of the Tees Valley.
“As devolution deepens, and more powers and responsibilities are handed to mayoral authorities, it’s vital we have the right people in place and a strong senior team in post to ensure we deliver for the region. Salaries remain in-line with peer authorities and industry standards.”