Caerphilly council chief criticised for meeting with pay scandal detectives Interim head Stuart Rosser has met with Avon and Somerset Police to receive an update into the investigation of his two predecessors The interim head of Caerphilly council has been accused of making an error of judgement after visiting police officers who are investigating his two predecessors on suspicion of fraud and misconduct in public office. Stuart Rosser, the authority’s interim chief executive, went to meet detectives from Avon and Somerset Police on Monday to express concern at the damage being done to the authority by the ongoing inquiry. Council chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan and his acting successor Nigel Barnett were arrested in July and questioned about their role in a senior pay scandal that saw their own salaries increase substantially at a time when the bulk of the council’s workforce was on the third year of a pay freeze. They are both currently on police bail until next January. Altogether, 21 senior managers had large pay rises following recommendations made in a report written by Mr O’Sullivan. Subsequently, his salary rose from £132,000 to £158,000 after the rises were approved by a committee of one Plaid Cymru and four Labour councillors. A further 20 senior managers, including Mr Barnett, also received a substantial pay rise. The rises were re-examined in January after a public outcry, and under a compromise, Mr O’Sullivan’s increase went down from £26,000 to £5,000. The chief executive was suspended after a report from the Assistant Auditor General for Wales, Anthony Barrett, said various aspects of the pay award were unlawful. Mr O’Sullivan was said to have acted unlawfully by writing a report that recommended massive increases for himself and senior colleagues, and by being present at a committee meeting when the rises were approved.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 09:21:05 +0000
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