Cambridgeshire mayoral authority CEO given £169k after resigning

Eileen Milner was appointed chief executive of CPCA in July 2021

An authority's former chief executive was given a settlement of about £169,000 after resigning eight months into her role, the BBC has learned.

Eileen Milner left the troubled Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's Combined Authority (CPCA) in May.

This month CPCA's external auditors raised concerns including an increase in "employment-related claims" and the number of senior management vacancies.

Both CPCA and Ms Milner declined to comment on the settlement.

Ms Milner was the chief executive of Education and Skills Funding Agency prior to joining CPCA in July 2021.

Ahead of CPCA's annual general meeting on Wednesday, auditor Mark Hodgson from Ernst and Young said in a letter on 1 June, seen by the BBC, that CPCA had "agreed a settlement package for the current chief executive, who is expected to leave her post on 31 May 2022".

It is also understood Paul Raynes signalled his intention to step down shortly after being asked to be interim chief executive.

The role of mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough was created in 2017

The auditor also warned there were "significant weaknesses" in CPCA's governance arrangements and that without "appropriate leadership capacity... there is significant doubt" the authority could carry out its duties.

Mr Hodgson's letter said the authority's senior leadership capacity was "already undermined by previous resignations and unfilled vacancies at management team level".

The authority has an elected mayor, Labour's Nik Johnson, who has devolved powers to spend money on local housing, infrastructure and jobs.

Mr Johnson, who is facing a separate investigation following a whistleblowing report, told the meeting he had no intention of resigning.

When contacted by the BBC, a CPCA spokesperson said: "We do not comment on employment-related matters."