Caerphilly County Borough Council has agreed to appoint former chief executive Stuart Rosser as its new temporary head of paid service.
A meeting of full council on Tuesday rubber-stamped a recommendation by the authority’s appointments committee for Mr Rosser’s return.
Mr Rosser will be paid the same salary he was on when he retired in 2010. For three-and-a-half days work a week he will be paid £131,645 pro-rata. His appointment will be for six months.
The advertised salary for the post was between £142,524 and £158,360 pro rata – the same level of pay which sparked the original leadership crisis – but Mr Rosser proposed he return on the lower salary.
Cllr Harry Andrews, leader of the council, told Tuesday’s meeting there was no one better than Mr Rosser while deputy leader Gerald Jones said: “This authority is going through some choppy waters. Stuart is a calm and steady person.”
Plaid Cymru also welcomed the appointment. Councillors voted almost unanimously for Mr Rosser’s return with Nelson councillor Anne Blackman being the only exception.
The return of the former chief executive as its new temporary boss follows the suspensions of current chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan and deputy Nigel Barnett.
On July 11 the council was branded “a laughing stock of Wales” by former Plaid Cymru council leader Lindsay Whittle after plans to appoint Mr Rosser at a special meeting were dropped at the last minute following a change of legal advice.
Instead, the council was told it had to advertise the position of head of paid service and interview candidates. Mr Rosser was the only applicant for the job and was interviewed by councillors on July 18.
The return of Mr Rosser follows the suspension of chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan and deputy chief executive Nigel Barnett.
Both men have been arrested by Avon and Somerset Police on suspicion of fraud and misconduct in a public office. The pair have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
The police investigation, being carried out by the English force after a referral from Gwent Police, follows a damning report published by the Wales Audit Office into huge pay rises agreed by the council in secret last year.
Mr O’Sullivan’s pay increased from £132,000 to £158,000 as a result of the decision – later deemed unlawful by the Wales Audit Office.
The pay rises, of up to 30%, for 21 senior council bosses, caused huge anger among staff and the public and forced the council to vote through a compromise deal scrapping the original decision.
After Mr O’Sullivan was suspended on full pay, Mr Barnett took over his responsibilities, until he was suspended earlier this month following his and Mr O’Sullivan’s arrests.