The Western Mail reports today on the generous exit packages paid out to senior council officers at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. Five senior employees who left in the most recent financial year received £631,000 between them. An updated report suggests that the council tax-payers of the borough are about to revolt.
These figures have been available in council accounts for the past couple of years and we can see that in Carmarthenshire, over the past three years, ten staff within the £80,000 to £150,000 pay range were paid a total of £993,360 in severance. Two members of staff, in the £100,000 to £150,000 range accounted for £261,423 of that figure. Add to that the unexplained 'error' in the accounts, the equally 'unexplained advance payment of Returning Officer fees; the 'unlawful' payments; a senior officer rich list the envy of many a town hall and the majority of our councillors relegated to speechless bystanders, its a wonder Carmarthenshire residents aren't revolting...
I suspect similar exit packages are to be found across all Welsh councils, multiplied over twenty two local authorities. In fact, I have grown so accustomed to looking at exit packages, senior salaries and expenses; all with a row of noughts before the decimal point, that nowadays I have to ask a slightly less interested member of the family to have a quick look, I can then observe the initial reaction which is usually 'bloody 'ell', or words similar. I must be conditioned.
With councils looking to save squillions over the next few years and identifying job losses as a solution, it looks like it's a lot cheaper, to axe the low paid than it is to satisfy the severance deals of the top earners.
More news from Caerphilly Council where a mysterious agenda item has aroused interest. It's all 'exempt' from the prying public and press and couched in sinister terms but appears to involve a 'procedural review' relating to disciplinary matter concerning 'statutory officers'. You would think, after all that's happened in the borough, any discussions about the senior officer pay scandal, which is currently being investigated by the police, should be held in the full sunlight of transparency. Apparently not (Western Mail article)
Lastly, following the disturbing story of Kim Shaw, the teacher who was subject to undercover surveillance by Caerphilly Council (yes it's them again) the BBC asked the remaining twenty one local authorities whether or not they spied on their staff under their investigatory powers. Five said they had done so, but six failed to respond to the question at all, one of which was Carmarthenshire Council....
These figures have been available in council accounts for the past couple of years and we can see that in Carmarthenshire, over the past three years, ten staff within the £80,000 to £150,000 pay range were paid a total of £993,360 in severance. Two members of staff, in the £100,000 to £150,000 range accounted for £261,423 of that figure. Add to that the unexplained 'error' in the accounts, the equally 'unexplained advance payment of Returning Officer fees; the 'unlawful' payments; a senior officer rich list the envy of many a town hall and the majority of our councillors relegated to speechless bystanders, its a wonder Carmarthenshire residents aren't revolting...
I suspect similar exit packages are to be found across all Welsh councils, multiplied over twenty two local authorities. In fact, I have grown so accustomed to looking at exit packages, senior salaries and expenses; all with a row of noughts before the decimal point, that nowadays I have to ask a slightly less interested member of the family to have a quick look, I can then observe the initial reaction which is usually 'bloody 'ell', or words similar. I must be conditioned.
With councils looking to save squillions over the next few years and identifying job losses as a solution, it looks like it's a lot cheaper, to axe the low paid than it is to satisfy the severance deals of the top earners.
More news from Caerphilly Council where a mysterious agenda item has aroused interest. It's all 'exempt' from the prying public and press and couched in sinister terms but appears to involve a 'procedural review' relating to disciplinary matter concerning 'statutory officers'. You would think, after all that's happened in the borough, any discussions about the senior officer pay scandal, which is currently being investigated by the police, should be held in the full sunlight of transparency. Apparently not (Western Mail article)
Lastly, following the disturbing story of Kim Shaw, the teacher who was subject to undercover surveillance by Caerphilly Council (yes it's them again) the BBC asked the remaining twenty one local authorities whether or not they spied on their staff under their investigatory powers. Five said they had done so, but six failed to respond to the question at all, one of which was Carmarthenshire Council....
