South Somerset District Council's £109k to ex-worker 'a scandal'
- Published
Opposition councillors want an independent inquiry about the six-figure pay out to a former employee at South Somerset District Council
A payout of £109,000 to an ex-South Somerset District Council officer has led to calls for an inquiry.
Opposition councillors branded the settlement payment a "scandal" that "cannot be swept under the carpet."
Auditors found it was approved by then chief executive Alex Parmley and his successor also says there was nothing untoward with the payment.
But the chief financial officer, the monitoring officer and council leader Val Keitch were not informed of it.
On Thursday, Councillor Nick Colbert told a full council meeting: "The auditors uncovered a mysterious payment of £109,000 to an unnamed officer for reasons that seem to have been kept secret.
"Who was that officer, why was so much public money given to them, and was there a confidentiality clause imposed on that officer?."
'Completely transparent'
But the council's current chief executive Jane Portman, said the figure of £109,000 had first been published within council reports in June 2021, and had come before both the scrutiny committee and district executive committee at public meetings.
She said: "This is not covered up in any way - it's completely transparent, it's in our accounts.
"The transaction in question was in relation to a settlement agreement… it's normal that the terms of settlement agreements will be kept confidential."
However, Conservative group leader Martin Wale said there should be a full inquiry to see if criminal proceedings should be brought against Mr Parmley.
Alex Parmley is a former chief executive of South Somerset District Council
Mr Parmley has since emigrated to New Zealand, where he told the Otago Daily Times, external he "did not recognise" the £109,000 and "did not believe it was accurate".
He added: "The issues raised in the report result from full documentation of those processes not being completed, which I also acknowledge.
"The council, like many, was under severe pressure, including a third of staff being deployed to the [coronavirus] vaccination programme and many other staff being redeployed to support grants to businesses, hardship payments and other new services."