Councils and public health leaders have hit back at claims they are paying 'enormous' remuneration packages.

A study by the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) claimed 325 public health employees earned over £100,000 in remuneration last year, including 105 working in local government.

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TPA said taxpayers were ‘paying for the enormous remuneration packages of hundreds of meddling busybodies, many of whom have obscure job titles’.

However, a Local Government Association spokesperson said: ‘Many of these staff are highly-qualified health consultants who transferred to councils under NHS pay and conditions.

‘They are doing important work in local communities to tackle issues like alcohol misuse, drug addiction, obesity and improve childhood health.’

The TPA said a pair of public health directors in Cornwall and Oxfordshire received total remuneration of over £200,000.

However both councils refuted the TPA’s claims and said the data used was incorrect.