Title

HUMAN RESOURCES

Council hands police file on £1m pay-outs

A file relating to allegedly unlawful exit payments to managers at Northumberland CC has been handed to police.

A file relating to allegedly unlawful exit payments to managers at Northumberland CC has been handed to police.

In July, six severance payments totalling more than £1m made by Northumberland to senior officers were declared ‘unlawful' by the council's section 151 officer.

Jan Willis found the payments, which were made between May 2017 and May 2022, were ‘not subject to scrutiny' or approval by councillors.

On Wednesday, monitoring officer Stephen Gerrard informed the council's audit committee he had provided the police with a ‘substantial file' for consideration.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said it was currently reviewing the correspondence it had received from the council.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Councils can't wait for reform

By Joanne Pitt | 22 September 2025

Drawing on assurance work by CIPFA, Joanne Pitt sets out the challenges driving the growing reliance on Exceptional Financial Support and outlines the urgent...

HUMAN RESOURCES

Levelling the paying field

By Martin Ford | 17 September 2025

With a host of newly-minted unitaries set to spring up around England in the coming months and years, Martin Ford looks at the thorny issue of pay harmonisation

HUMAN RESOURCES

Lessons for uncertainty

By Ann McGauran | 17 June 2025

When it comes to reorganisation, you need to look at it from every angle. Ann McGauran spoke to experts who have faced the acute challenges of restructuring ...

HUMAN RESOURCES

Wirral announces new director

By Martin Ford | 02 April 2025

Marcus Shaw has been appointed as Wirral MBC’s director of regeneration and place.

Popular articles by William Eichler