Scotland's councils have handed out £63million in six-figure ‘golden goodbye’ payments to high earning staff since 2022, new figures have revealed.

The annual accounts of Scotland’s 32 local authorities show the huge cost of high-value exit packages for officials when they leave their jobs.

It comes despite growing strain on their finances, which was blamed for large increases in council tax charges in the current financial year.

Spending on the lucrative packages has soared from £12.6million in 2022/23 to £21.9million in 2024/25.

The biggest bill since 2022 was £15.4million at North Lanarkshire Council, followed by £11.3million at Glasgow City Council.

Scottish Conservative finance and local government spokesman Craig Hoy said: ‘Hard-working Scots who’ve been hammered by rising council taxes will be furious that councils have shelled out millions on golden goodbyes.

‘Our local services are at breaking point, but instead of fixing the issues that actually matter, council bosses are allowing the bill for public-sector payouts to balloon.

‘Taxpayers are sick of SNP and Labour-run councils spending their money on the wrong priorities while our frontline services are on their knees.’

Glasgow City Council had the second biggest 'golden goodbye' payments since 2022, with a total of £11.3million. North Lanarkshire Council had the biggest at £15.4million 

Former Glasgow City Council chief executive Annemarie O’Donnell received a £357,845 'in year' contribution to her pension

The data, compiled by the Scottish Conservatives from the annual accounts of local authorities, shows total spending on exit packages of more than £100,000 since 2022 has been £62.6million.

The cost of the packages soared from £12.64million in 2022/23 to £28.09million in 2023/24 before a drop to £21.89million in 2024/25.

Over the three years, North Lanarkshire spent £15.38million, Glasgow £11.25million and Renfrewshire £7.92million.

Several councils – Clackmannanshire, East Ayrshire, Midlothian, Orkney, Shetland, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian, didn’t issue any six-figure exit packages, according to the data.

In September, Audit Scotland issued a report condemning Glasgow City Council for significant early retirement and redundancy payments awarded to five senior officials.

It followed revelations that the five senior figures had left with exit deals without the knowledge of SNP council leader Susan Aitken, including former chief executive Annemarie O’Donnell, who received a £357,845 ‘in year’ contribution to her pension.

Elaine Galletly, former director of legal and administration, received a £223,065 pension contribution and £59,971 for ‘compensation for loss of office’.