Southampton City Council chief executive's £190,000 payout revealed

Sandy Hopkins will step down from her role at the end of the month after three years

A council chief executive's proposed £190,000 pay off, revealed in a leak to the BBC, has been branded a "huge and unnecessary cost to taxpayers".

Sandy Hopkins will leave Southampton City Council at the end of February.

The ruling Conservative group offered the payout because it wanted "a different style of leadership".

But opponents say the money could be put to better use, like funding repairs to the recently-closed St Mary's Leisure Centre.

According to the confidential council documents leaked to the BBC, a settlement equivalent to Ms Hopkins' annual salary of £188,239 was "agreed in principle" last month.

The papers also said a mutually agreed severance package and a confidential and binding settlement agreement were needed.

Labour group leader Satvir Kaur said the cost could have been "easily avoided"

"This ensures neither party can bring any employment-related proceedings against each other in the future," the documents state.

The BBC has not seen the final settlement, but council leader Daniel Fitzhenry has confirmed the authority and Ms Hopkins have agreed a package after they both accepted a new leadership style was required.

In a statement, Mr Fitzhenry added: "The confidentiality terms of this agreement are legally binding and we will not be commenting on any speculation...

"I am extremely disappointed that someone within this council felt it was appropriate to disclose confidential and personal information about one of their colleagues."

'Incompetence'

Leader of the opposition Labour group Satvir Kaur said: "This unnecessary restructuring is coming at a huge cost to local taxpayers, at a time when the likes of St Mary's Leisure Centre is under threat.

"It is a situation and cost that can be easily avoided, but instead acts as yet another example of this new Conservative council's determination to waste taxpayers money."

Fellow Labour councillor Steve Leggett added: "The leader of the council claims he wants a new style of leadership, but failed to articulate what this new style is. Why should taxpayers be paying for their incompetence?"

An internal chief executive is expected to be selected until a full recruitment process takes place.