--- Cllr Mike Powell Welsh Liberal Democrat, Trallwn -------- Original Message -------- Subject: RCT Council redundancy payments FAO Carrie Evans Date: 29/10/2013 11:37 From: Mike Powell To: , , pontypridd.observer Following our brief conversation here are copies of two press release from us from March this year and form 2012 which shows how long this has been going on and how we have been trying to highlight it. Cash strapped RCT Council still spending millions on golden goodbyes. March 10, 2013 5:07 PM Despite the claim that financial pressures are forcing Rhondda Cynon Taff Council to cut services, increase prices and enforce one of the highest Council Tax rise in the country, the Labour administration have still spent millions on enhanced redundancy payments for just 56 employees. The Welsh Liberal Democrats first exposed the scandal in 2010 when they revealed that compensatory payment costing millions of pounds were being paid on top of the early access to pension and statutory redundancy payments. Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor Mike Powell says it is a disgrace that the practice is still continuing In the 18 months up to January of this year figures show that the Council spent well over £3 million on voluntary redundancy payments for 56 employees. Of this almost half was in the form of compensatory payments which the Council are under no obligation to pay. Now whilst we would not want to see anyone leave without their due recompense it is ludicrous that at a time when everyone is having to tighten their belts the Labour controlled Council in RCT are handing over such huge bonus payments to public sector employees. Of course, as always, it is those at the top of the tree who were earning the most and have a substantial pension to look forward to who are benefiting the most. As we said previously there are questions to be asked such as when and how did these posts become redundant and if a post is redundant then why are we paying a compensatory payment on top of the early access to pension and statutory redundancy payments? Figures released under a Freedom on Information request show that between 5th July 2011 and 30 January 2013 nine meetings of the VER panel were held to discuss payments to 56 staff members. Statutory redundancy payments amounted to £628,173, and on top of this early access to pension payments cost £984,173. This amount practically doubled by the addition of non-statutory compensatory payments of £1,548,962. RCT Welsh Liberal Democrat Campaign Manager Karen Roberts said residents of Rhondda Cynon Taff would be justifiable angry The Labour administration has just voted to increase Council tax by 3.95%, one of the highest increases in Wales. They will be putting up all service costs by at least 8%, charging for bulky waste collection and cutting services such as weekly refuse collection. Other Councils only make these additional compensatory payments in exceptional circumstances. Rhondda Cynon Taff hand them out like confetti, and scrutiny is non existent with the panel meetings lasting around five minutes each time. This is public money they are spending. Money they should be accountable to the electorate for. They need to revise their policy on this - everyone is entitled to a fair deal, but this is way beyond fair. ***** Rhondda Cynon Taf redundancy packages too generous November 18, 2010 12:00 PM Welsh Liberal Democrats have uncovered figures which show an alarming lack of scrutiny with regard to the spending of taxpayers money. Figures reveal that Rhondda Cynon Taff council has spent more than £9m on voluntary redundancy packages for 274 people over the past three years. Workers have not only been given their rightful redundancy payments, and had their pensions payments made up, but have been awarded in some cases substantial sums of money as compensatory payments Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly candidate for Pontypridd Councillor Mike Powell said This year alone RCT have paid out £2,936,400 in compensatory payments - or, as some would say, golden handshakes. These payments are not compulsory. They are in addition to any redundancy payments the employee is entitled to, and an additional cost over and above what was paid to top up their pensions and give them early entitlement. I have spoken with colleagues in Swansea and Wrexham Councils who assure me that they pay them out rarely. RCT seem to have been handing them out like free lollies in Little Chef. We would not deny anyone a fair settlement but this is public money. The people who lost their jobs in Bosch or Burberry or any of the other industries to have gone under during the Labour Government watch did not have the benefit of a few extra thousand pounds to help them along. Why should public service workers many of whom were middle managers on a sizable wage and pension be handed these bonuses, especially at a time when RCT are aiming to hit the lowest paid front line workers with their review of terms and conditions. The payments are authorised by a panel consisting of Labour and Plaid Cymru Councillors, but a look at the minutes, freely available on the Council website, shows that meetings of this panel lasted between two and five minutes. Councillor Powell added This is a disgraceful use of taxpayers money. And for the Labour and Plaid Councillors involved to fail to question it at all but to nod it through in meetings lasting between two and five minutes is appalling. -- Cllr Mike Powell Welsh Liberal Democrat, Trallwn
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 13:07:43 +0000
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