By Gabriel Princewill-
Norfolk Council paid a total of £1.8m to its exiting staff , its annual report reveals.
The Council which is subdivided into five parts released its annual report today. It’s biggest single pay out at North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) to one of its managers was £388,919, to leave the council in 2019/20.
The report revealed that a big pay out of £117,000 this year was reportedly made to the council’s joint head of servicer managers, mr. Nick Baker, after he left last March, leaving partner mr. Steve Blatch as the new Chief Executive.
In Norfolk Council, a payment of £95,820 was given for a compulsory redundancy. A city council spokesman explained the above payment to have included redundancy and a payment to the manager’s pension fund as they took early retirement.
In another revelation, a pay out of £111,000 was made for a pension in Norfolk Council, following the early retirement of a senior employee. The council said the payment would save money because it did not recruit a new person to the post after the manager left.
Extraordinary
Opposition Conservative leader, Christopher Cushing, described the money paid to Mr Baker as “extraordinary” .
The revelation highlights an excessive amount of money paid to executive fat cats, which could have been used for more productive objectives.
Representatives of Norfolk council defended the large payments by stating that external and legal advice was sought before they made the payment. However, the precise nature of the legal advice was not disclosed at our request.
Broadland And South Norfolk Council
The report also revealed that exit payments at Broadland and South Norfolk councils amounted to £950,000 in total to five different staff members.
South Norfolk Council spent £594,000 on exit packages for two staff, with a hefty payment of £600,000 at South Norfolk Council made to two managers. Ironically, a spokesman for South Norfolk and Broadland Councils said the pay outs actually saved taxpayers’ money.
They said: “While this is a significant figure, it has already been more than paid back in savings through the merger of the two councils’ staff teams.”
A spokesman said merger of management was saving the two councils £8m over five years and said: “These figures need to be put in the context of the overall project to join the officer team across the two authorities.” Norwich City Council, meanwhile, paid one employee £181,975 when they left.
Compulsory Redundancy
Another staff member was given £95,820 for a compulsory redundancy. A city council spokesman said the payments included redundancy and a payment to the manager’s pension fund as they took early retirement.
The report revealed that the biggest pay out at Norfolk County Council, was £111,000 for a pension following the early retirement of a senior employee.
They added that the council would save money because it did not recruit a new person to the post after the manager left.
The highest payments at Breckland and Great Yarmouth councils were £31,000 and £55,000 respectively.
Norfolk Council was decoy to reveal the identities of the the recipients of the big pay out. Norwich City Council, meanwhile, paid one employee £181,975 when they left.
In Breckland and Great Yarmouth councils, one of the other segments of Norfolk Council. the largest payments were £31,000 and £55,000 respectively.
The opposition Conservative leader, Christopher Cushing, said the money was paid to Mr Baker and described the pay out as “extraordinary”.
The council’s leadership restructure was debated by councillors on Wednesday night. At Broadland and South Norfolk councils large exit packages were also agreed as management teams were merged and cut.
New Chief Executive Of Norfok Council: Image: NNDC
The two councils paid £950,000 in total to five different staff members – an average of just under £200,000 each.
Significant
A spokesman for South Norfolk and Broadland Councils claimed the significant pay outs actually saved taxpayers’ money.
They said: “While this is a significant figure, it has already been more than paid back in savings through the merger of the two councils’ staff teams.”
They added that the merger of management was saving the two councils £8m over five years and said: “These figures need to be put in the context of the overall project to join the officer team across the two authorities.”
Norwich City Council, paid one employee £181,975 when they left. Another staff member was given £95,820 for a compulsory redundancy.
A disappointed councillor from the council expressed shock at the scale of the pay outs in the council. Speaking on the basis of anonymity, he said: ”it is shocking that this council believes it can justify the exceedingly high pay outs. It was only five years ago in 2015 that 19 children’s services workers have were suspended for offences including fraud and breach of trust”.
He continued: ”In Norfolk, there is a lack of access to NHS dental care in Norfolk despite many experts. There are people with heart conditions who can’t eat because of teeth issues. Many of them are disfigured and there is only one dentist taking up clients because of lack of funding, yet massive pay outs are being made to executive bosses. Surely, this is scandalous”, he said
Credit: Dan Grimmer