Top Officer pay-off slammed by Lib Dems

11.37.45am GMT Thu 11th Feb 2010

The Lib Dem Opposition at Kent County Hall has denounced the decision to extend KCC's current Chief Executive's contract by a further year to May 2010, at an alleged additional cost of £200,000.

Speaking on BBC Radio Kent, Trudy Dean. Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition said:

"I think Kent County Council is totally out of step with public opinion on this. The Conservatives have lost the plot and we believe a complete overhaul of appointment processes is needed.

"In the last three years KCC taxpayers have footed a £1 million bill to end top officers' contracts over the last five years. What's going on at County Hall to make such huge payouts necessary? Kent people will shortly be looking at their Council Tax bill and asking why they should pay it."

Trudy Dean was a lone voice at County Hall when she previously refused to back the process of appointing KCC's current Chief Executive, because no outside advertising or competitive interview took place. She said:

"This process did not ensure Kent got the best person for the job, or paid the right price."