Caerphilly council pay row report to go to councillors

Charges against Anthony O'Sullivan, Nigel Barnett and Daniel Perkins were dropped in 2015

A report into pay rises given to senior bosses at Caerphilly council will go before councillors on Thursday.

Chief executive Anthony O'Sullivan was suspended in 2013 and remains on special leave.

He was suspended along with his deputy Nigel Barnett and the head of legal services Daniel Perkins, after the Wales Audit Office declared their pay rises were unlawful.

Criminal charges against the three men were dropped in 2015.

It had been claimed they had agreed to give themselves a 20% increase when most other council staff faced pay freezes.

Mr Barnett and Mr Perkins left their jobs in October 2017 with compensation payouts between them of about £300,000.

It is thought the dispute has cost the council a total of £4m.

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The Welsh Government appointed a "designated independent person" to investigate.

Those findings have been with an internal committee at the council for the last few months and will now go before a special meeting of the council.

Caerphilly council said its investigating and disciplinary committee (IDC) has considered the findings of the designated person.

"The next step is for a meeting of Full Council to reach a final decision based on the recommendations of the IDC," it added.

The meeting is likely to be closed to the public.