Top Coventry council boss given £395,000 retirement package

[dutchman]

It has been branded "difficult to justify"



Criticism has been fired after it emerged a top boss at Coventry City Council left with a £395,000 early retirement send-off in March.

The huge payout was given to former deputy chief executive for place Martin Yardley when he left to join the University of Warwick.

However critics have branded it “difficult to justify”.

The former council deputy was one of three top bosses to leave in 2019/20 with a six-figure exit package over £100,000, the council’s annual Statement for Accounts shows.

The council has said Mr Yardley’s departure created long-term savings as his role has been made redundant.

However Conservative opposition leader Cllr Gary Ridley said: “This one payout in particular seems extremely high and you could probably keep Coombe Abbey open with that amount.

“It is very difficult to justify especially when the council is pleading poverty.

“If you have less money to play around with you have to be more efficient with the money you have got.

“What is done is done but the government needs to move forward with legislation to stop this from happening.”

The government launched a review into public sector payouts last year and confirmed in July that it is to press ahead with its planned £95,000 cap, although a date for the new legislation is yet to be confirmed.

Exit packages have been significant at Coventry council over the years with an investigation from the LDRS last year showing departing staff were handed £46.8 million in just eight years – branded an “enormous waste” of taxpayer money.

Mr Yardley’s retirement deal was signed off in private by councillors in July last year.

[rebbonk]

“difficult to justify”

I'd say it was impossible to justify! - But I'm only a local taxpayer.