Councillors give backing to Harrogate chief executive’s £100,000 redundancy package

The five councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s Chief Officer’s Employment Committee, which includes four Conservatives and one Liberal Democrat, met yesterday evening to discuss a report written by Harrogate Borough Council’s head of legal and governance Jennifer Norton.

The report recommends Mr Sampson is paid a settlement due to the impending abolition of Harrogate Borough Council.

Harrogate Borough Council will cease to exist along with six other district councils and North Yorkshire County Council from April 1.

A new unitary authority called North Yorkshire Council will replace them to run services across the county.

Mr Sampson’s settlement is made up of a contractual £71,633 redundancy payment and £29,641 for a 12 week notice period that he will not have to work as his job will end on March 31.

He is paid a salary of £118,447.

After Harrogate Borough Council is abolished, his employment would automatically transfer to North Yorkshire Council.

However, the report says because the new council is “likely to refuse to recognise” Mr Samson as an employee he would be “effectively stranded” and it could lead to an unfair dismissal claim.

A redundancy package offered now would therefore reduce the “risk of the risk of costly legal proceedings that will be picked up by the public purse.”

Ms Norton summarised the report and described the settlement as a “practical and pragmatic” solution.

Conservative deputy council leader Graham Swift chaired the meeting in place of council leader Richard Cooper who was absent.

Councillor Swift said Harrogate Borough Council had been “disciplined” in preparing the settlement for Mr Sampson.

Hambleton District Council has faced criticism after offering a £225,000 pay-off for outgoing chief executive Justin Ives.

Councillor Swift praised Mr Sampson for his commitment to the role as staff prepare to move to the new council.

He said: “We’re fortunate that we have a chief executive that is not just hanging around but ensuring employees are protected into the new organisation, that’s very important for staff to see leadership taking place.

“My experience is the chief executive role is one that nobody wants to do but everyone thinks they can do it better.

"As Wallace steps down we’re in great shape.

"At full council we’ll express our sincere thanks for his commitment.”

A full meeting of the council will take next Wednesday where councillors will have a final vote on Mr Sampson’s redundancy package.

Speaking ahead of today’s meeting, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, Pat Marsh, said she will be asking her colleagues to approve the package next week.

Councillor Marsh said: “Looking at what some other district and borough councils are proposing for their chief executives I welcome what is being recommended.

"I will be urging my group to support the package being offered to Wallace Sampson. “

Current North Yorkshire County Council chief executive Richard Flinton has already been announced as the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council.

He will earn a salary of up to £197,000 a year with responsibility for an annual budget of £1.4 billion and a workforce of 10,500 staff.