The YJB's annual report and accounts for 2013/14 reveal that Ray Hill, who was head of secure accommodation at the YJB, accepted an offer under a "voluntary exit scheme" in March 2014 and subsequently received a voluntary exit payment of between £170,000 and £175,000. It notes that Hill's last day of service was 31 May 2014.
It comes at a time when the organisation has seen its annual budget cut by £55m to £255m in 2014/15.
Hill's exit is less than a year after he made headlines for receiving payments above and beyond his salary.
In 2012/13 he was paid more than £44,000 to cover the cost of journeys from his home in the north west of England to the YJB's headquarters in London.
He received the payments because he had been wrongly categorised as working from home, which would have entitled him to expenses for visiting the offices.
Concerns about the payments were raised in a review of the board’s accounts by the National Audit Office, which concluded they were "irregular". The expense claims also drew criticism from youth justice minister Jeremy Wright.
The YJB’s accounts for 2012/13 disclosed that Mr Hill, who was paid around £100,000 a year, received £20,097 for travel and subsistence costs for journeys between his home and the agency’s headquarters.
He received a further £24,265 in the previous financial year, which was not identified at the time. The payments included expenses for hotel stays in London.
At the time a YJB spokesman said Hill claimed the funds and his requests were signed off because neither he nor other managers noticed the error.
A YJB spokesman said Hill was one of 12 staff in the organisation to apply to leave under a voluntary exit scheme run in 2013/14 by the YJB.
“As the only member of the senior management team to leave under this scheme, his voluntary exit package is the only package published in the YJB’s annual report and accounts,” the spokesman said.
“This payment has been made in accordance with the provisions of the civil service compensation scheme.
“Ray Hill’s application was accepted based on him meeting the criteria for exit under the scheme, not because in 2012/13 he was incorrectly treated by the organisation as a home worker and received reimbursement for travel expenses as a result of this.
“Ray Hill’s contract was revised in 2013/14 to address the concerns identified in the 2012/13 annual report and accounts.”
Lucy Dawes, director of operations at the YJB, has taken over as lead for secure accommodation, and is now responsible for both custody and community work.
