Town hall’s settlements worth £1.2m

A YORKSHIRE council spent more than £1m on “settlement agreements” with departing employees over a four-year period.

East Riding Council paid out nearly £1.2m on 79 agreements, which contain confidentiality clauses, from 2013 to 2016, according to data released under the Freedom of Information Act.

In contrast between 2013 and 2017, the House of Commons issued 53 to former members of staff, at a cost of £2.4m.

Coun Andy Strangeway, who fought for 13 months to get the data, said the vast majority – 63 – involved schools staff.

The independent councillor, the only one to vote against this year’s 5.99 per cent council tax increase, said: “East Riding Council should never issue gagging orders as it is generally used to silence failures.

“These failures need to be fully investigated, not covered up.

“£1.5m is a one per cent increase on council tax. It is wasting money.”

Settlement agreements are typically given to employees when they are being made redundant.

Usually the employee is given money in return for agreeing to give up their rights to pursue or bring future claims against the employer.

MP Maria Miller called yesterday for greater transparency on the House of Commons payments, saying it was a “significant amount of money”.

The council employs about 11,000 people, while the House of Commons employed 2,040 in 2015.

East Riding Council has been asked to comment.