Sheffield blasted for spending youth service cuts savings on pay-offs to three officials

A total of £670,000 was paid out to the three assistant chief executives. This month will see compulsory redundancy notices go out to around 50 staff members at Sheffield Futures, which provides the city’s Connexions service.

Unison regional officer for Sheffield Kevin Osborne branded the pay-outs as "outrageous". "There is clearly a policy of ‘us and them’ at the city council. At a time when public sector workers are having their wages frozen and facing redundancies, these payments are unacceptable," he said.

Assistant chief executive for legal and governance Liz Bashforth received £331,867 in redundancy payments. Her colleagues Ken Green and Ron Barraclough, who held similar ranks covering organisational development and communications, and policy and performance, received payouts of £200,000 and £125,000 respectively.

In comparison, staff who are issued with compulsory redundancy notices will receive the legal minimum payout which is capped at £11,400.

Osborne said that the union had been involved in talks with the chief executive of Sheffield Futures, where it had been admitted that it was unlikely that the service would be able to deliver what it had intended to. "It’s quite an admission that they can’t afford to provide the same level of service. As yet we don’t know how the cuts will be implemented, whether it will be the closure of youth centres or whatever."

Unison is currently balloting its members on industrial action over the job losses.