YOUR headline about an apparent ‘pay-off’ to the chief executive of Bournemouth council (Echo, March 22) places great emphasis on the actual amount rather than the probity of making this post redundant.

The amount flows directly from the legal and contractual arrangements that the council have entered in to.

The reported reactions of staff are understandable in this time of Tory-imposed austerity, but the focus should be on the fact that such decisions seem to be able to be taken with such little discussion and a total absence of any independent scrutiny or examination.

This is just another symptom of the one party state that is Bournemouth council.

Your article raises questions about the business interests of the council leader and while at pains to point out that he has done nothing wrong, the issue of a potential conflict of interest receives scant attention.

The explanation that this post would have become redundant in the event of the proposed Local Government reorganisation across Dorset is a mere smoke screen.

There may be fewer such roles in the new arrangement but which one of these becomes redundant should be done through a clear and transparent selection process.

Unfortunately this episode smacks of a questionable back room deal and frankly the residents of Bournemouth deserve much better.

PATRICK CANAVAN

Chair Bournemouth Labour Party, Manor Road, Bournemouth

Want to respond to this letter for publication? send us a letter