£400,000 settlement for early retirement city leader

CITY OF York Council’s chief executive has taken early retirement and what is understood to be a £400,000 settlement after a secret meeting to decide her future.

Mary Weastell has been off sick since early last summer and a council source said the meeting had agreed the six-figure settlement for her.

It is believed Ms Weastell was planning to take the council to an employment tribunal.

But a public council meeting on Monday, from which the press and public were excluded on the grounds of confidentiality, is understood to have agreed to her early retirement.

The Local Democracy Reporter scheme asked the council for details of the decision made at the meeting but no further information was provided.

Under council guidance published in the meeting documents, if a council officer is made redundant or an exit payment of more than £100,000 is agreed, the decision should be approved in public at a full council meeting.

But if the departure of a member of staff is classified as early retirement this is not necessary and the details do not need to be discussed at a public meeting.

Speaking after the local elections in May when the Liberal Democrat and Green Party took over the council, leader Keith Aspden committed to improving transparency.

He said: “We remain committed to working with all parties on shared areas of interest, particularly in improving the transparency of the council and giving a greater voice to residents.”

Ms Weastell was appointed chief executive in 2016 after serving as chief executive of Selby District Council. A cross-party appointing panel was made up of Lib Dem councillor Keith Aspden, former Conservative David Carr, and Labour’s Janet Looker.

Speaking in 2016 Ms Weastell said some areas of council activity had to be kept confidential.