Bonuses at County Hall have left a “bitter taste” at a time of job cuts.

Six of Essex County Council’s most senior staff shared £32,023 between them in the same year the authority axed 363 jobs.

Ivan Henderson, county councillor for Harwich, said: “It sends the wrong message out to people who are struggling at the moment and leaves a bitter taste for those who have lost their jobs.”

A 72-year-old disabled woman, who relies on meals on wheels, said she was appalled at the bonuses, as well as councillors eating their way through £16,000-worth of free dinners at County Hall.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: “It seems immoral. When they are having to make cuts, why are the most vulnerable targeted while the people that get much more money than pensioners still get their free meals?”

David Finch, the leader of the Conservative administration, said: “Our corporate management board members have performance-related pay, and they have overseen the delivery of more than £450million of savings.

“We believe linking pay to performance encourages high performance.”