QUESTIONS have been raised over the “eye-watering” amount of money spent by Bournemouth council on the redundancy of its last two top officers.

On Tuesday, councillors gave their backing to a £475,000 package for its managing director, Jane Portman – less than two years after £390,000 was paid to its former chief executive, Tony Williams.

Cllr Stephen Bartlett said that the potential need to make Mr Williams’ replacement redundant “could have been foreseen” which would have saved the council hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Ms Portman’s redundancy was agreed on Tuesday after she missed out on securing the top job for the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council.

On top of a £117,000 redundancy payment, Bournemouth council will also have to make a £355,000 pension contribution on her behalf.

This comes less than two years after it agreed to a £390,000 deal for her predecessor Tony Williams after his role was abolished in March 2017.

Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of Bournemouth council, Cllr Bartlett criticised decisions which had led to the redundancy of Ms Portman being required and tax-payers being faced with a second “eye-watering” bill.

“Tony Williams’ redundancy was purported to have been made on cost-saving grounds,” he said. “But in less than two years, a second senior officer is to be made redundant.

“I understand the reasons why it is happening but this could have been foreseen.

“The costs for both positions will be an eye-watering amount and, while I accept that savings have been made, the overall cost will still be £613,000.”

Defending the council, its leader Cllr John Beesley said that it was a “difficult and emotive issue” but that the latest redundancy was being made in a better financial situation than the council was in in March 2017.

“Remember that that was a decision taken at a time prior to there being any certainty over local government reorganisation,” he said.

“We find ourselves in the position we do but that is with a much lower cost base and this is part of the contract the council has with that individual.”

Councillors agreed to the redundancy of Ms Portman with councillors Simon Bull and Nick Rose abstaining and Cllr Don McQueen refusing to vote.

Ms Portman had applied for the chief executive position of the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council but missed out to the former head of the Land Registry Graham Farrant.