Council under fire in staff payments row

SENIOR bosses were paid up to £12,500 above their six-figure salaries at North Lanarkshire Council - and moves were put in place to stop the press publicising the controversial payouts.

The performance-related payouts were shrouded in secrecy after officials REFUSED to divulge details of the cash boosts - but that the information has sensationally come into the public domain following a Freedom of Information request. This revealed that the payouts totalled a mammoth £184,000.

The main beneficiary was chief executive Gavin Whitefield - but payouts in the region of £9000 were paid out to other top officials.

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The move has drawn strong condemnation from Scottish Nationalist MSP Jamie Hepburn who has branded it a “scandal”

Mr Hepburn said: “It beggars belief that this sum has been paid out to senior staff on top of their salaries, earning upwards of £77,000 a year. This comes at a time when key local services in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, and across the local authority area, are being slashed.”

However the council has vigorously defended its position - and and pointed out that performance related pay was an integral part of salary and not an additional payment - and helped the council to save cash.

For comment and reaction, see this week’s Cumbernaud News and Kilsyth Chronicle - out now.