HACKNEY council is continuing its “service-rationalisation measures” —  in other words, cutting staff. In the latest financial year it has paid out £2.168 million to 123 “officers”, of which 16 were volunteers.

“Of this total,” the council notes, “£0.115 million was payable to “the chief operating officer Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Who is this person who walked off with a £115.222 payout? He is Charlie Forman who, Hackney told Loving Dalston, had worked in local government for 22 years, joining the Labour-run council in 2006 to head the Olympics and Paralympics Games team on a final annual salary of £98,094. He retired at the age of 61 after his post became redundant.

The council said: “Employment law states that any employee is entitled to a redundancy payment after two years’ employment if their post becomes redundant. Charlie worked at Hackney council for six years.

“Charlie left with a normal local government package, including a redundancy payment and pension. He did not receive a payoff/bonus/compensation as [Loving Dalston] suggested.” A council document says, however, that Forman received “compensation for loss of office”. The document also describes the  payment as a “termination benefit”.

The payment was dwarfed by that to another Hackney officer, a compulsory redundancy who trousered almost £200,000. The figure would not be out of place in the realm of  the 30 charity chiefs who, a newspaper discovered, are paid more than £100,000 a year.

David Altheer 150813 

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