Second pay-off revealed at South Kesteven District Council

Further payoffs have been awarded by South Kesteven District Council to departing staff.

Last week, the Journal reported how its former finance officer, who left in June, received a settlement of £141,000.

Now, the Journal can reveal other payments, as outlined on page 130 of the 195-page of the agenda for the July 25 meeting of Governance & Audit Committee.

In a section headed Termination Payments, the report reveals two people received compulsory redundancy in 2016/17, with them receiving an exit package totalling £19,000 between them.

In 2017/18 three exit packages were paid, one for £4,000, one for £41,000 and one for £142,000, the latter of which would be the former finance officer, as revealed in last month’s meeting of the full council.

An SKDC statement this week said: “At the end of employment, separation is often bound by a confidentiality agreement. That is the case in this instance and the council is legally constrained from disclosing any further details.”

Last week, council chief executive Aidan Rave defended the first payment, which during the council meeting was said by opposition councillor Phil Dilks to be £141,000. Opposition members also claimed ‘a clear out’ of senior council officers.

Mr Rave told the meeting: “This was part of a settlement agreement.”

Afterwards, he told the Journal that the identity of staff could not be given due to the confidential nature of such agreements. “There have been a series of changes at senior level. In most cases by mutual agreement. We have saved something like £250,000 from the senior officer restructure. So a one-off payment has to be judged against the longer term savings.”