The boss of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council is to be paid off early – to save the taxpayer £92,000 in the run-up to the new unitary authority.
A secret report to Monday’s full council meeting, revealed exclusively to the Chronicle, recommends councillors uphold a resolution made by the personnel committee on November 7.
It is proposed that an agreement is negotiated between Robin Hooper, chief executive for the past eight years, for him to leave after Christmas on terms to be agreed by a committee made up of the council’s three political party leaders – council leader Peter Nutting (Conservative), Councillor Danny Moore (Labour) and Councillor Miles Kenny (Liberal Democrat).
It is understood that Mr Hooper could receive up to 75 weeks’ redundancy pay, a further 16 weeks’ compensatory pay to prevent him taking industrial action, 13 weeks in lieu of notice and a payment equivalent to any unpaid leave. Last year Mr Hooper was paid £116,821 by the council and it is estimated that his early departure could save around £92,000, including the £40,000 running costs of his office.
Advice and guidance will be given by the Employers’ Organisation of the West Midlands Local Government Association and Gareth Owens, the council’s monitoring officer and the district auditor.
Geraint Morgan, currently deputy chief executive, will step up to the role of council manager and head of paid service. Andy Goldsmith will become assistant council manager and town clerk, while Gareth Owens will assume the role of assistant council manager, head of legal services and electoral returning officer.
The report, headed management of succession, has been produced by council leader Peter Nutting and says it is ‘prudent for the council to give consideration to how the management of the succession process will be undertaken’.
A new unitary authority is expected to replace Shropshire’s county, borough and district councils in April 2009.
The report says it will not be necessary to employ chief executives of all six councils and only one will be required.
It is the last item on the agenda for Monday’s meeting at the Guildhall.
It will be discussed behind closed doors, but a public statement is expected to be made on Tuesday morning.
Councillors will also be asked to look at other staffing issues, such as amalgamating services and a freeze on filling certain staff vacancies, with closer departmental working to cover them.
See page 13 of the Shrewsbury Chronicle, November 29, 2007.