The authority's top officer took home £191,032 in salary and allowances, as well as £6,903 in expenses and benefits in kind.
Seven directors, two of whom have now left, shared £924,000.
Conservative Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has called on top-earning town hall chiefs to cut their salaries, claiming their pay packages "could make a football manager blush".
Simon Baker, chief executive of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, is understood to have taken a 7.5 per cent cut on his £152,000-a-year package.
Martin Hamp, of Clematis Avenue, Blythe Bridge, was among the campaigners who lost their fight to save Shelton Pool from the council's first wave of cuts.
The 56-year-old used the pool to help him to cope with a long-term health condition.
He said: "It makes us very angry. People are having to make serious cuts in a financial crisis and the people at the very top keep their lavish environment.
"It's a case of do as we say and not as we do. Unfortunately it's the world we live in."
Dave Conway, leader of the opposition City Independents group, said: "John van de Laarschot said he would have the authority on its feet and running in three years.
"The clock is ticking. After three years we will see if he has been value for money.
"The council will always say you have to pay top money to get the top men."
The figures are revealed in the council's annual accounts, which show 800 of the council's workforce had contracts terminated in 2010/11 as part of a £36 million cuts package.
The council paid out £11 million in compensatory payments to staff losing their jobs.
It expects to pay out almost £900,000 more in redundancy packages as a further 80 workers leave this year.
Among the directors to leave in 2010/11 was Jeanette McGarry, director of housing, environmental and neighbourhood services. She received a £130,000 out-of-court settlement after suing the council for libel and sex discrimination. Ms McGarry was fired while undergoing cancer treatment.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council said it reviewed salaries last year and reduced the number of executive officers in top pay brackets, saving £1.37 million.
A city council spokesman said: "As with any local authority, officers are entitled to remuneration payments in line with the terms and conditions for their posts.
"The city council is facing challenging times and needs to ensure that the we attract and retain the best people with responsibility for delivering authority's services.
"John van de Laarschot has not taken a pay cut, because his annual salary is already significantly lower than the rate agreed by the council.
"The salary for the post of chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent City Council was advertised up to £195,000 per year.
"When Mr van de Laarschot was appointed chief executive in January 2010 he was paid an annual salary of £179,000."
John van de Laarschot took up his post as chief executive in November 2009, initially working two days a week using annual leave from his equivalent post at Torridge District Council in Devon. He moved to the city full-time in January 2010.
Source http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/
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