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Michael Frater is the third chief executive to leave the council in five years Nottingham City Council chief executive, Michael Frater, is finally to step down from his post after a long-term rift with the leader. After months of mediation, the chief executive is to finally leave over his relationship with council leader, Jon Collins, just 16 months into the job. Mr Frater is expected to get a £180,000 pay-off – or a year's salary. A final decision will be ratified at a meeting on Thursday evening, and he is expected to depart at the end of April. He is the third chief executive to leave the council within five years. The two previous chief executives, John Jackson and Gordon Mitchell, were reportedly paid £110,000 and £153,000 respectively to leave. Relations between the two worsened last month after the chief executive spoke out on the council's CPA assessment. The Audit Commission put the council's failures down to politicians interfering with the work of the officers. Writing to each councillor, Mr Frater said: ‘We are now in the worst 10% of councils. I cannot believe councillors are prepared to tolerate that.' This week, the Labour group appointed two of Cllr Collins' supporters to the executive, and Cllr Michael Edwards, also an ally of the leader, was appointed deputy leader. Cllr Collins told The MJ he had been ‘delighted' when Mr Frater joined the council, particularly given his reputation, and was ‘disappointed' at his departure. ‘Things have not worked out so well for him here, and I respect his decision to step down.' Mr Frater declined to comment on the issue.

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WHITEHALL

£180k pay-off for Nottingham chief

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