Lincolnshire County Council paid Keith Ireland £292k for six months

Keith Ireland has worked at a number of local authorities in England

A council chief executive was paid £292,263 for less than six months' work.

Keith Ireland's pay-off, equivalent to £1,234 a day, was revealed in Lincolnshire County Council's legally-required statement of accounts.

Mr Ireland left in November 2018 after a "difference of opinion" with council leader Martin Hill.

Councillor Hill said the pair "did not share the same approach" and a compromise agreement had been reached.

Mr Ireland's pay package was made up of his agreed salary, £975 in outplacement services, £8,901 holiday pay, £14,637 in employer's pension contribution and his compensation payment.

According to a Freedom of Information request, Mr Ireland was contracted to a yearly salary of £178,500 for his role as CEO, the Local Democracy Reporting Service says.

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Mr Ireland stepped down from the council in November 2018 and was appointed OBE in the Queen's New Year honours.

Councillor Hill said: "During Keith's time with the council, it became clear that there was a difference of opinion on a number of important issues, and we both decided that a parting of ways was for the best."

Before the job at Lincolnshire County Council, Mr Ireland was the managing director at the City of Wolverhampton Council for four years.

Before this he had worked at: London Borough of Enfield (one year), Northumberland County Council (eight months), Manchester City Council (five months), Cheshire West and Chester Council Shadow Authority (four months) and Charnwood Borough Council (seven months).

He made headlines in 2011 as it emerged his consultancy role at Northumberland County Council cost about £1,175 a day for six months.