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| Pembrokeshire council pay-off for chief executive cut | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A pay-off for Wales' highest paid council chief has been approved by auditors after it was cut by more than £50,000 from the planned £330,000. | |
| Pembrokeshire chief executive Bryn Parry-Jones is due to leave on Friday following a row over cash payments in lieu of pension contributions which the Wales Audit Office judged unlawful. | |
| Auditors said any pay-off calculated on those payments would also be unlawful. | Auditors said any pay-off calculated on those payments would also be unlawful. |
| They lifted an order banning the payment after it was cut by £52,760. | |
| Mr Parry-Jones has been in the top job at Pembrokeshire council for nearly 20 years and earns £192,000 a year plus benefits in kind. | Mr Parry-Jones has been in the top job at Pembrokeshire council for nearly 20 years and earns £192,000 a year plus benefits in kind. |
| Councillors voted in favour of a severance deal on 16 October following the fallout from cash payments made to him in lieu of pension contributions that the Wales Audit Office (WAO) said were unlawful. | Councillors voted in favour of a severance deal on 16 October following the fallout from cash payments made to him in lieu of pension contributions that the Wales Audit Office (WAO) said were unlawful. |
| Those additional payments have been used to calculate the chief executive's pay-off and it is that which concerns the auditors. | Those additional payments have been used to calculate the chief executive's pay-off and it is that which concerns the auditors. |
| Conduct allegations | Conduct allegations |
| The WAO said the council was given this advice before the pay-off was agreed, but some councillors now say they were not made aware of this in advance of that meeting. | The WAO said the council was given this advice before the pay-off was agreed, but some councillors now say they were not made aware of this in advance of that meeting. |
| Appointed auditor Anthony Barrett served his payment notice on the council on Tuesday, and the council says he spoke to leader Jamie Adams on Thursday to resolve the issues. | Appointed auditor Anthony Barrett served his payment notice on the council on Tuesday, and the council says he spoke to leader Jamie Adams on Thursday to resolve the issues. |
| On Friday Mr Barrett said he was withdrawing the advisory notice after being told the council had removed what he considered to be "unlawful expenditure". | |
| A special committee had been set up by the council to look into allegations about Mr Parry-Jones's conduct before the pay-off deal was agreed. | A special committee had been set up by the council to look into allegations about Mr Parry-Jones's conduct before the pay-off deal was agreed. |
| Pembrokeshire council's Labour group leader Paul Miller told BBC Wales they may seek an injunction to stop any revised deal going ahead before councillors had a chance to give their approval. | Pembrokeshire council's Labour group leader Paul Miller told BBC Wales they may seek an injunction to stop any revised deal going ahead before councillors had a chance to give their approval. |
| A spokesperson for the council said "no comment" when asked on Thursday whether the chief executive would be staying in his job or leaving on Friday as planned. | A spokesperson for the council said "no comment" when asked on Thursday whether the chief executive would be staying in his job or leaving on Friday as planned. |
| A Welsh government spokesperson said on Friday: "We have been in touch with the Wales Audit Office today and we will be seeking advice from the Auditor General for Wales as a matter of urgency." | A Welsh government spokesperson said on Friday: "We have been in touch with the Wales Audit Office today and we will be seeking advice from the Auditor General for Wales as a matter of urgency." |