AN MP has slammed the redundancy package set to awarded to Bournemouth council’s managing director.

Sir Christopher Chope urged Conservative councillors to block the £117,000 pay-out to Jane Portman at a full council meeting next week.

On top of the redundancy settlement, Ms Portman is also set to receive a £355,000 pension contribution from the local authority, which will no longer exist in a matter of months.

She will continue to work until the end of March when the council is abolished, unlike former Dorset County Council chief executive Debbie Ward who left in November with a £170,000 pay-off and £300,000 pension contribution.

Primary legislation to cap the redundancy payments to council staff at £95,000 has been agreed by the Government, but secondary legislation is still being finalised.

Sir Christopher said ministers had told him guidance had been given to councils on the issue and local authorities should honour “the spirit” of the pay cap.

“This level of payment goes against Government policy,” he said. “The councillors will have the decision when they vote on it. I hope they will reject it as being far to larger sum in the present financial climate.

“I am disappointed and surprised because the council is ignoring Government advice.

“At least she is being made to work out her notice until the end of the council which is more than the chief executive for Dorset.”

Sir Christopher continually pressed the Government for the pay cap to come into force as soon as possible.

He said he would be “very disappointed” if the councillors in Bournemouth went ahead and did not oppose Ms Portman’s redundancy package.

He added: “There is a message here for the new authority that they should ensure the contractual terms for their staff should not have the generous arrangements that there seem to be now.”

Cllr Janet Walton, leader of the shadow authority for the new unitary council, said the £95,000 cap was not “legally enforceable and cannot displace the current contractual and statutory rights of employees”.

Ms Portman failed in her attempts to secure the top position at the new Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole council, with HM chief land registrar, Graham Farrant securing the post.

The appointment of Mr Farrant is understood to have left some Bournemouth councillors, including leader Cllr John Beesley, ‘incandescent’.

In the appointments panel meeting, Bournemouth councillors all voted for Mrs Portman while all the non Bournemouth councillors supported Mr Farrant. They felt a new face was needed. Ms Portman was appointed as managing director by Cllr Beesley in 2016 after the departure of the previous chief executive.