THE man who cost taxpayers £1,000 a day for almost a year has spoken out.

Barrie Foley said it was up to others to judge his performance as interim chief executive of the organisation that runs the New Forest National Park.

Mr Foley, 53, of Pennington, spoke after the National Park Authority (NPA) was criticised by the Audit Commission, which revealed that the cost of employing him totalled £255,000 – three times the normal annual salary for the job.

The commission’s report says NPA chiefs failed to consider alternatives, including filling the post internally.

Mr Foley was appointed in July 2009 following the resignation of the organisation’s first chief executive Lindsay Cornish.

She quit following criticism of her leadership style and a mass revolt over plans to impose road tolls, dog-free car parks and other restrictions.

The report says: “The interim chief executive was appointed through an agency on a rate of £1,000 per day.

“The appointment lasted until June 2010 and payments to the agency totalled £255,000.

“By comparison the normal annual salary cost of the chief executive post at the authority is around £85,000.”

Mr Foley declined to name the agency and also refused to be drawn on how much he himself was paid.

He said: “The agency charged what they charged – that’s up to them.

“The New Forest was in need of help. I did the best job I could and hopefully got a good result.

“The agency took their cut but I can’t discuss any of the details because I’m bound by a confidentiality agreement.”

Asked if he thought he was good value for money Mr Foley said: “That’s not for me to judge.

“All I know is there was a need for someone to come in and take action. The NPA was losing control of the situation but it’s up to others to say if I did a good job.”

Mr Foley, a freelance trouble-shooter, is currently performing a similar task at a company in Germany.

He said: “I’m on the books of several agencies. In 2009 I received a call saying a vacancy had arisen in the New Forest and my skills might fit the bill, especially as I live in the National Park.”

New Forest East MP Dr Julian Lewis has defended the NPA.

“Barrie Foley was the right man to rescue the organisation and was eminently qualified, albeit expensive,” he said.