Reporting local life since 1854 37pMonday, October 10, 2011

SEN

-eO1

-S2

[P]

[P]

been re-deployed within the authority,instead of being allowed to pocket pay-offs first.

The council said none of the staffinvolved left under current redund-ancy agreements, which state nobodycan return to work for the council

within a year and a day.It comes as the council, whichhas made 800 redundancies as

R E D U N DA N TSTAFF BACKAT WORK

Workers re-employed after council’s £330k payoff

BY ALEX CAMPBELLalex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk

COUNCIL workers who pocketed £330,000in redundancy payments later returned towork for their old employer in new roles.

One redundant worker who agreed aredundancy package with Stoke-on-TrentCity Council spent just 27 days away fromthe authority before returning to a newj o b.

A further two workers waited just 32days after agreeing a settlement beforebeing re-employed at the council.

Figures obtained by The Sentinel s h ow£330,603 has been paid out in compens-ation packages, which includes the noticeperiod, to 25 workers who have sincetaken new jobs with the authority in thelast six years.

It has also emerged that eightmembers of staff are “d o u bl e - d i p -ping” – claiming a pension afterretiring from their positions withthe council, but now being paidwages for a new job.

Critics have blamed “badmana g ement” and claimthe workers should have

part of a £36 million cuts package, con-siders a further 350 to 500 job cuts.

The Labour-led authority could have tocut up to £25 million more from its budgetin 2012/13 as a result of sharp reductionsin Government funding.

Former Labour council leader MickSalih, pictured left, who described thefigures as “scandalous”, said: “It boilsdown to how badly managed the councili s. Some of it was happening when I wasinvolved in the council. People came backwith new titles or as consultants.”

Jim Gibson, Chell Heath Residents’Association chairman, said: “This isanother council cock-up. It is cutting allsorts of services, yet something like this isgoing on through the back door. It’s ridicu-l o u s. ”

Stafford Borough Council said oneredundant worker returned to the author-ity after a gap of 15 months.

Newcastle Borough Council said noredundant workers have returned to theauthority, but one member of staff isreceiving both a pension and a wage.

What do you think of the figures? Emailus at letters@thesentinel.co.uk

PLUS KIDS GO FREE AT TRENTHAM MONKEY FOREST

2-FOR-1 ENTRY ATALTON TOWERS

TOKEN COLLECT:SEE PAGE 14

Councils withhold detailsTHE Sentinel is appealing the decision bythree other councils who refused torelease details of how many redundantstaff have returned to work for theirauthorities.Staffordshire County Council andCheshire East Council both declined tosupply information toThe Sentinel.Staffordshire Moorlands Council refusedto disclose details on the grounds thatindividuals involved might be identified.The Sentinel is contacting the InformationCommissioner’s Office, which upholdsinformation rights in the public interest,to try to obtain the withheld data.

‘HEART DONORSAVED MY LIFE’

SEE PAGE 11

Picture:ShaunSmith

Potteries No. 1for Commercial

Vehicles!Up to 50 vans in stock!

Also clean vansbought for cash

ANY MAKE - ANY MODELCall Gary

www.stokevans.co.uk

01782 566939

STOKEVANS

NEW JUKEAcenta ONLY £149

Advance Payment*

Book A Test Drive Today www.holdcroft.com

Holdcroft NissanLeek Road, Hanley,

Stoke-on-TrentStaffordshire, ST1 6AL

0800 8815 538

• Use your mobility allowance • Breakdown recovery• Road tax and insurance • Servicing & Maintenance• 60,000 mileage allowance • Specialist Advice

Worry-free means everything isincluded for peace of mind

NNNNNNNNNNNNEW JUKEAcent

y

s