Voluntary redundancy of Director of Public Health could cost nearly £300,000

The Staffing Committee of Cheshire East Council is being asked to approve the termination of the contract of employment of the current Director of Public Health (DPH) via voluntary redundancy at a potential cost of nearly £300,000.

Cheshire East Council is in the process of modernising and transforming its way of working and has recently established a structure of three Directorates – People, Place and Corporate Services.

As part of the reorganisation, Public Health will be brought into the new People Directorate, and current post of Director of Public Health which reports to the Chief Executive will be deleted and replaced with a Director of Public Health which reports to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

This has resulted in a move from a tier 2 to a tier 4 post and a drop in salary for the position from £183,328 pa to £86,636 pa. The current Director of Public Health Dr Heather Grimbaldeston has indicated that the new DPH post is not a suitable alternative to the present post, no other suitable alternative roles are available in the Council and as a result she has requested to be allowed to leave the Council on voluntary redundancy terms.

The Staffing Committee are therefore being requested, at their meeting on Tuesday, 16th August, to approve the voluntary redundancy at a potential cost of ££293,814, which includes pension costs, which would be met from within the Public Health Grant.

Due to the cut in salary for this post the Council says the costs of voluntary redundancy would be recouped within a 4 year period.

The new Director of Public Health will report into Mark Palethorpe who has just been appointed to the new position of Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

Mark Palethorpe, who has spent the past six years at Cheshire West and Chester Council, will head up a new integrated directorate, bringing Adult Social Care and Health together.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Cabinet member for adult care and integration, said: "We are really proud to have attracted such a first class candidate who understands the issues in Cheshire East and who can make a real difference to the lives of our residents here.

"His vast experience in the west will be invaluable as we move towards a more integrated health and social care model that will deliver better value for the people of Cheshire East."

Kath O'Dwyer, Cheshire East Council deputy chief executive and executive director of people, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have Mark as part of the Cheshire East team.

"He will be a real asset as we progress our journey to transform 'Peoples' services for the better."

Mark, who lives in Sandbach with his young family, will be based at the Council's Westfields headquarters in the town.

He said: "This feels like coming home. I am incredibly excited about using my skills and experience to help shape and deliver new and innovative social care and health solutions for our elderly and vulnerable residents across Cheshire East."

Photo: Mark Palethorpe the new Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

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Cheshire East Council
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Alan Brough
Tuesday 9th August 2016 at 1:56 pm
This cant be a real story, can it?

Surely no organisation could be so obviously incompetent in the care and investment of other peoples hard earned money as CE Council repeatedly are.

The organisation appears to be led by a series of people who have been promoted well beyond any experience, ability or talent that they might possess and it's about time that they were brought to task.
Adrian Scott
Tuesday 9th August 2016 at 2:08 pm
Here we go again !!! Will somebody tell me how these faceless wonders are given such fat cat employment contracts ? Of course it's only our money that C.E.C.are able to squander with no recourse. They really do make a mockery of the hardship some people suffer when losing their job. Perhaps one fine day the Government will act to cap all public servant contracts together with a scaled claw back arrangement of all redundancy if re-employed within 12 months. But then again; as public servants, it's probably not in their own long term interests to reduce pay offs !!
Gordon Roberts
Wednesday 17th August 2016 at 1:14 pm
What a stich up the general public are getting, so we are all horrified at the conduct of top posts within our banks, well guess what? If there is a next time around I won't waste my time as a boss in the private sector, worry, stress, employment law, heart attacks. Its the public sector for me, can't be fired, fill you boots, fill your pockets,company supplied everything,and because of the boredom of to much golf and to many dinners you are awarded with a early retirement package. No wonder they have big smiles on there faces.