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Embattled Doncaster MBC managing director, Susan Law, has turned down a pay-off in a bid to clear her name. The Association of Local Authority Chief Executives (ALACE) revealed that Ms Law had turned down a severance package equivalent to one year's pay, or £150,000. ‘What we want above all is an exoneration,' said Alastair Robertson, honorary secretary of ALACE. ‘The longer this goes on, the greater the cost is to the council, the higher the final pay-off is to Ms Law, and the greater the damage to her reputation.' Mr Robertson also claimed the designated independent person (DIP) – Clive Grace – appointed to investigate the ongoing row between Ms Law and elected mayor, Martin Winter, had questioned his appointment by the council and called for a reinvestigation into the case. This has been categorically denied by the council. The authority also rejected Ms Law's allegations that the claims against her were ‘improper' and stemmed from her whistle-blowing, when she called in police to investigate Mr Winter's involvement in a community project. ‘The DIP has confirmed there are substantive issues which need to be investigated,' said Paul Evans, director of legal services. Meanwhile, Breckland DC's chief executive, Becky Hellard, handed in her resignation, following an investigation into a ‘number of issues' concerning her. Ms Hellard had stepped back to allow the preliminary investigation to take place, but was not suspended, and remained on full pay (The MJ, 16 November 2006). A council statement said Ms Hellard intended to pursue other interests after making a ‘significant positive impact' at the council. The council said it could not comment on whether Ms Hellard had received a pay off, for legal reasons.

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Law to fight on

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