Caerphilly County Borough Council’s long-running pay scandal is set to cost taxpayers a further £193,000.
Councillors will be asked to agree to the extra amount at a full council meeting tonight, Tuesday, April 17. The money will be used to cover legal costs and pay for council chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan, who is on special leave.
Mr O’Sullivan was suspended on full pay in March 2013, following allegations of misconduct relating to secret pay rises for around 20 senior bosses. Deputy chief executive Nigel Barnett and head of legal services Daniel Perkins were also suspended. All three were arrested and charged by police with misconduct in a public office.
The charges against the three officers were dismissed before a trial, and last year the council agreed pay-outs of £171,000 and £127,000 for Mr Barnett and Mr Perkins respectively.
The council has not yet been able to reach an agreement with Mr O’Sullivan, and the matter has been referred to a Welsh Government-appointed official.
Since the scandal broke five years ago, the council has spent £3.6 million in legal fees and pay for officers on suspension or special leave. If you factor in the pay rises that were originally agreed the figure rises in excess of £5m.
Councillor Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly Council, said: “Residents in the county borough will be dismayed that the bill from the senior officers’ pay scandal is rising again by another £193,000, with no end in sight it appears.
“The cost, including pay rises for the 20 top officers, is well over £5m and the debacle under Labour rule is a continuing drain on the council’s financial resources. People are asking me who is benefiting from this. Our residents have been out and out losers over the past five and a half years
“It is vital that the residents of towns like Pontllanfraith, where the future of the leisure centre is uncertain, do not pay the price of mistakes made in the past.
“I hope that the appointed Designated Independent Person will be able to complete the investigation into the chief executive, Anthony O’Sullivan, by the end of 2018, bringing this long drawn-out and unhappy era in the history of Caerphilly Council to a conclusion.”
Councillors will also be asked to extend the contract of Caerphilly Council’s interim chief executive could be extended until June 2019, in case the long-running pay dispute moves into a sixth year.
After predecessor Chris Burns stood down at the end of 2017, Christina Harrhy was appointed on a six-month contract which ends on Saturday, June 30.
A report due to be considered by councillors at tonight’s meeting also outlines the aim to have resolved the dispute by the end of 2018, but the interim contract will be “reviewed quickly” by the council, if circumstances in the saga should change at any stage.
A Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesman said: “We are working hard to bring this matter to a conclusion as quickly as possible, but when dealing with disciplinary proceedings at this level, we are bound by a statutory process which must be followed.”
Caerphilly council are becoming a laughing stock, or should that be are a laughing stock. Mistake after mistake has been made and the tax payer hs been made to foot the bill. This what happeneds when you have managers/councillors who are not properly trained in business management. We need a full independent public enquiry into this mess and those who are to blame brought to task and sacked, I’m sure we the tax payer hasn’t been given the full story.
In reply Edward, and John too, I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. This whole case has been mishandled from the start. We have endured a long running series of hearings in court, all the time those involved were paid full salaries. In the end the court threw the whole thing out, I am not going to engage in any long discussion as to why the action was unsucessful as it does not matter. We still pick up the bill.
If those responsible for a secret meeting, which excluded the public from being able to scrutinise proceedings, and allowed those who were getting a pecuniary advantage to take part had been sacked for gross misconduct none of this would have happened. John is right, though I would say it has not ‘become a farce’ it always was a farce. A longer running one than some of the ones that Brian Rix starred in during the 1960’s too!
This whole scandal has become an utter farce.
It is almost 5 years since this fiasco began and now they expect taxpayers to pay even more money ?
As an organisation they should have sorted this out long ago.
If this had involved junior members of staff they would have been visiting their local jobcentre within weeks – as usual that is not the case when senior managers are involved.
Local residents need to make their voices heard and refuse to subsidise this councils apalling handling of the situation.
I think Plaid Cymru should pay this Bill.
This pay rise was awarded under Lindsay Whittle watch. How about this for hypocrisy!!!!The current situation, which appears to be the second raid on the public purse by the now suspended Chief Executive and the support of that hike in pay by the then Leader of the council, Councillor, and AM Lindsay Whittle, seems to demonstrate what we all already know, and that is that local politics stinks, but, thank god there are still some exceptions to that rule, where they are in Caerphilly council Officers no-one knows.
I agree that both political parties were complicite in awarding pay rises to officers beyond all reason. Council administrators are now paid more than bosses of private companies that are expected to return a profit. They get this money for merely spending public money, often wastefully, and have little or no responsibility when things go wrong.
If local authorities were forced to bring in performance related pay these so called “managers” would have to deliver the goods…….they wouldn’t be allowed to spend public money (our money) with impunity.
Correct; and managers should be drawn from industry, not local authority employees.
I see in an online article elsewhere that the leader ( Cllr Poole) and the temporary chief executive ( Christina Harrhy )will decide whether her term should be extended until June 2019 – thats very open and transparent.
Let me see ” should my job role be extended ? “
“Oh that’s a tough one councillor, should I continue this job – with its agreeable conditions and salary? Or should I stand down? Oh, go on then, extend my term…”
This senior officers’ pay deal, involving 20 officers, was decided on after Labour took control of the authority in 2012 so you’re incorrect with your comments that the rises were awarded under Lindsay Whittle. In fact, the late Plaid Cymru leader Alun Pritchard – who took over as leader from Lindsay Whittle – refused to authorise a rise for those same top officers before the 2012 election. This was at a time when ordinary workers’ wages were being held down. It was, therefore, pursued after Labour won control of the authority.
Nigel Barnett did previously receive an increase in his salary but has absolutely nothing to do with the senior officers’ pay scandal, the bill for which council taxpayers’ are still paying.
Can I politely suggest you refrain from spreading fake news in the future – and check your facts before hitting the keyboard!
So as you say.fake news Lol
Why did whittle agree to increase nigel Barnett wage for doing 2 people’s jobs, in any public sector job one would cover that position without a increase.
Within Caerphilly council its free money to throw around that’s why we should join Newport County Council sort out the corruption.
With in the council its not what you know its who you know cross my hand with sliver.
Phil why don’t you look a little deeper.
all this started under Lindsay Whittle and Plaid Cymru back in 2010 When Mr O’Sullivan took over as C.E and he wrote a report to get his pay rise as well as Barnett and Whittle agreed a 15k rise for Barnett that was the start to all this miss conduct.
“Management costs at Caerphilly are kept to a level which means that the salary of the most senior officers is among the lowest in Wales,” Coun Whittle said.
“We are also operating a top-down approach in terms of making necessary savings rather than bottom-up.
“This report, although confidential because of the salary issue, was made available to every member of the authority, so there was no attempt to hide this information.”
It makes no difference which party was in power when all this started. The facts are this is costing the council tax payer money and still going on. O sullivan, he is still suspended and on full pay so he is in a very good position, getting paid for doing nothing for it. In fact he would want it to drag on for as long as possible just to be able to draw his salary. Maybe the counsellors could pay for some of this out of their expenses claims. Personally I believe this is a huge farce that has gone on far too long. All parties should be totally ashamed of themselves to have allowed it. As one reader has commented if this was a junior member of staff then it would have been settled a long time ago. It appears to me that the council do not have the guts to bring this to close. In addition, if this was a large business model it would have never got to this stage because the board or shareholders would never have allowed it to. The people of Caerphilly have been shafted all along by the council, all on the pretense of great service to the public. The trouble is the ill educated people of the town still vote in the elections for clowns to represent them, whose only interest is to fulfill their own ego and expenses forms. I have never yet met a local councillor whose true intents were for the town. I believe this nonsense needs to be stopped, as I do object having to pay for some clowns incompetence. The people of Caerphilly really need to wake up and think very carefully next time they go to the polls. Sadly though, this is unlikely.
Absolutely agree with you
You need to get your facts right Jack this was brought in by a Labour council in 2012. You seem to hold a grudge against Lyndsey whittle from your other posts? You posts also suggest you have a knowledge of how the council runs,if you do know that Lyndsey whittle is responsible for this scandal, maybe you should speak up, but if you have no proof, you could be sued for suggesting this. As far as im concerned it was brought in under a Labour run council and therefore they should be brought to task. So stop spreading fake news
No no no.
Not fake not a grudge but its truth why dont you look a little deeper and why don’t you reply to the question as you normally dont and avoid why did whittle agree to increase nigel Barnett wage.
If you don’t like the truth what can i say.
Firstly punctuation can be your friend, so if you can use it. As I said above you have a lot of knoweldge for a layman, so I assume you are employed by the council. I hope your dream comes true of a merger with Newport then you will experience job losses, even more money being diverted to Newport city, but if thats what you want thats what you will get.
Mr Smith
So why did Whittle agree to increase Nigel Barnett wage??.
So what is wrong with a few top Managers Job losses from Caerphilly council.
And why does Mr O’Sullivan want to return back as chief executive.
You seem to know a lot about this secret meeting that went on behind close doors. So that brings me to the conclusion either you was there or you have inside knowledge which means you work for the council. If you are that concerned about the whole situation bring up this evidence and let’s have a public enquiry into this mess.
Also how do you know that mr O’Sullivan wishes to return, when this hasn’t been reported, again more evidence that you are a council employee.
Don’t you understand that it’s not managers that will go, even though I bet that there are a few incompetent managers and supervisors that need to go. In reality it will be the people on the floor that will go, Departments will merge and Departments will go. You really are living in a land of make believe, if you think this merger will be good for Caerphilly.
I see again you avoid the question and will not give a answer so you must be a true plaid supporter.
So even if I tell all you will never ever believe.
I havent avoided the question. I havent answered the question because I dont know the answer. You seem to know the answers though which again adds more proof you work for the council at some level. So do all us tax payers a favour and speak up and reveal all. I am also a conservative support.
You also seem to like to answer questions with questions because you are afraid of the truth. All parties needs to get together and reslove this, through a full public enqury its thr only way the public will havd full trust in the council again. I also believe that a 2 period term in office would prevent corruption. Someone needs to be a whistle blower and tell the truth about all of this.
It is the fact that the council officers /councillors do not have the guts to bring this to a conclusion that has allowed it to continue for 5 years.
Are they afraid to make the decision ? maybe they fear that Mr O’Sullivan will be reinstated following the independent inquiry and fear retribution ?
On the subject of voting for clowns – I don’t think we will ever get the electorate of this borough to see sense.
They will continue to vote as they always have done and continue to moan when they are punished by those they put in power.
Too true, trouble is that the sheep will continue to vote for the same political party regardless of the fact that the party they vote for closed down more mines than Margaret Thatcher and were also responsible for introducing the so called bedroom tax and they introduced university tuition fees, yes the ill educated will still vote for Liebour and would vote for a bucket of cow dung if it had a red rosette pinned to it. Well those folk who voted this shower back in again have no right whatsoever to complain and thanks to this pay scandal farce we’ve all been hammered with yet another massive increase in our council tax.
I coundnt agree more with your comments, people vote Labour only because its a tradation in their family. They dont tend to read their manifesto.
Indeed, and they suddenly develop a case of acute memory loss when they enter a polling booth.
This has cost every household in Caerphilly Council area £50 a head and still no end. They are paying the suspended chief executive £193,000 a year for doing nothing, plus the temporary acting chief executive who is currently doing the job. It would have been less costly if they had sacked him and then face the possibility of him claiming compensation. In addition to all this the Council then has the cheek to raise council tax by 4.5%. Dave Poole is the new leader of the Authority and his most pressing job should be to resolve this issue immediately.
Yes £50 for each household in Caerphilly plus another crippling rise in council tax……….and still the fools vote them back into power.
Sadly if a sheep stood for Labour in the Council it would get back in power. While the Council have cut some services they did not take up my suggestion of cutting the number of Councillors.
Maybe we should all banned together and refuse to pay it.
I dare say if this was to happen in France then the people would revolt against the local council with great solidarity, over here we will complain about it but not take action.
Caerphilly and the way it manages ALL its dealings needs to be investigated. Such as people moving seamlessly from INTERIM posts to being appointed. Come on CCBC tell us, how many people were shortlisted for each post? how many were interviewed? where were these jobs advertised and how much are the salaries?
Rhian Kyte – Head of Planning and Regeneration
Susan Richards – Head of Education, Planning & Strategy
Lyn Donovan – Head of People Services
Marcus Lloyd – Head of Infrastructure
And before people vote for Cllrs they should check to see just how many meetings they actually attend and whether they are value for the expenses they are being paid.
Ask social workers, housing officers, headteachers how they feel about they way they are mismanaged by highly paid incompetents sitting in the ivory tower that is Penallta House.
You have raised some very valid issues here – but I doubt that CCBC will provide any answers.
They seem to forget that as a Local Authority that they are( or should be ) accountable to the local electorate.
Instead they treat the electorate with contempt and do as they please.
There are many past posts on the Observer site echoing your sentiments with regard to highly paid incompetents in charge – and the general consensus is that these people would not survive in the private sector ( in fact many would not be given the posts they have attained in the public sector ).
It must be very frustrating for council employees having to put up with the mismanagement you refer to.
I think a lot of the electorate vote for Councillor’s on the basis of popularity and not on how manny meetings they attend or what they actually achieve.
On the subject of expenses – I note that the Councillor’s voted to saddle each household with an extra £50 burden, but not one Councillor offered to take a reduction in their expenses towards the cost.
The pay scandal has highlighted to the electorate the mismanagement and cloak of secrecy under which CCBC appears to operate.
It is now time that the electorate demand change and show a vote of no confidence in the current administration.
Also,why are the respective Unions not voicing concerns over the above mentioned issues ?
Spot on.