THE Conservative party has launched a scathing attack on Somerset Council over a £12.8 million redundancy payout for staff.

The council’s ‘finance chief’ Jason Vaughan, who the Tories blamed for ‘failing to tackle’ the administration’s financial crisis, is understood to have received more than £500,000, including pension costs.

Rebecca Pow, Conservative party candidate for Taunton and Wellington, said: “Somerset taxpayers will be appalled that these overly generous golden parachutes for these council officers have been waved through by the Liberal Democrats.  

“What’s worse, the man who’s failed to tackle the Lib Dem’s £100million blackhole is trousering the biggest exit payment of them all. 

“The Lib Dems should be honest with residents and come clean that they have failed to manage the council’s finances properly, slashing basic services while paying out millions in these unjustified payouts. The people of Somerset deserve better.”

The Conservative leader on Somerset Council, Cllr David Fothergill, said: “The downgrading of the Chief Finance Officer role during the current fiscal crisis for Somerset is a major concern. It means that anyone in the role will not have equal status to those taking decisions and will no longer have a place at the Council’s top table. 

“This is contrary to expected best practice and will likely only worsen the council’s financial emergency.”

Responding to the comments, the leader of Somerset Council, Cllr Bill Revans, branded the Conservative attack “disappointing” and a “diversion from their appalling record.”

He said: “Everyone knows that Somerset Council Liberal Democrats inherited a poor financial position from the previous Conservative run Somerset County Council. Their own leader described local government finance as a 'ticking timebomb' in 2019. Six years of council tax freeze, spiralling costs of social care, diminishing support from central government and rising demand for our services have led to a financial emergency in many councils including Somerset.

"This is not a problem of our making, but one which we are determined to fix responsibly by taking these tough decisions. We are reducing the size of the council in response. Officers who have taken voluntary redundancy will be receiving what they are legally entitled to - not a penny less, not a penny more. The sums quoted include the pension strain for those over the age of 55. All of these voluntary redundancies will have a three year pay back period.

"It is disappointing to see them personally attack a senior and respected Somerset Council officer who cannot respond himself, and they have deliberately chosen to ignore the assurances given by the Somerset Council Chief Executive yesterday that the Section 151 Officer in any new structure will sit at the top table and will maintain a laser like focus on stabilising the council's finances.

"It is not surprising that the Conservatives in Westminster are attacking Lib Dem run Somerset Council as a diversion from their appalling record in running the country. They know that the only way to get change in Somerset is to vote for the Lib Dems."