Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / EDINBURGH AND EAST
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

Wednesday, 29 August 2007, 20:16 GMT 21:16 UK

No payoff for council executive

John Lindsay A council chief executive who helped devise his own £300,000 redundancy payoff has resigned.

East Lothian Council said John Lindsay, 60, will now retire from his position at the end of September without receiving any redundancy payments.

Spending watchdogs had earlier criticised the outgoing council for its decision to award Mr Lindsay the deal.

The new council has now scrapped the deal and Mr Lindsay will only receive his statutory retirement payments.

The move follows a controversy that began in February when the council agreed to award Mr Lindsay a one-off redundancy payment of £149,000 and retirement lump-sum of £155,000 on top of his pension of £55,000 a year.

'Acting fairly'

The deal was criticised in a report by the Accounts Commission spending watchdog, which said the process by which the council made its decision "fell a long way short of the standards expected of public bodies".

At the time of the deal the council was Labour-controlled, but since the May election it has been controlled by an SNP-Liberal Democrat coalition.

Council leader David Berry thanked Mr Lindsay for his service to the area, and added: "The new council has demonstrated that it is acting fairly and responsibly and in the best interests of East Lothian's residents."

Mr Lindsay said: "Over the 23 years that I have been working in the community, many people have told me about improvements that have taken place throughout the county, and I am proud of my contribution to that."



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Controversial council chief to go (19 May 07 |  Edinburgh and East )
Row over council chief's pay-off (01 Mar 07 |  Edinburgh and East )
Councillor suspended over conduct (12 Apr 06 |  Scotland )
'Aggressive' councillor suspended (28 Mar 06 |  Tyne )
Council change as head suspended (15 Feb 06 |  Leicestershire )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
East Lothian Council
Scottish Politics
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©