Town Hall finally admits Chief Executive has gone from his post
TOWN Hall chief executive Martin Smith is no longer in his post at Tower Hamlets in East London. The council finally issued a statement this-morning after weeks of silence in which the authority would only say he was “on annual leave”
TOWN Hall chief executive Martin Smith is no longer in his post at Tower Hamlets in East London.
The council finally issued a statement this-morning after weeks of silence in which the authority would only say he was “on annual leave.”
The statement follows exclusive disclosure by the East London Advertiser on June 4 that Martin’s future was in doubt after a meeting with the council leader.
“A fresh approach is required,” says the authority, despite the council being awarded four star status by Government inspectors under Martin Smith who had been in the job just two years.
FUTURE DIRECTION
The statement says: “The communities of Tower Hamlets and future direction of the organisation now require a fresh approach to deliver the council’s priorities around housing, education, tackling unemployment and creating a safer and cleaner borough for everyone.”
Councillors discussed the details of the pay-off’ Mr Smith will receive at the end of last night’s cabinet meeting when the public and press were excluded.
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They were told Mr Smith will be paid around �400,000 from council tax payers’ coffers, the Advertiser has learned.
The council’s statement was handed to the paper last night after after the paper had gone to press.
BRIEFING
the leaders of all four political parties on the council being called in to the Town Hall to be briefed about Mr Smith’s departure.
Today’s briefing was in the wake of protests from Opposition councillors who said they hadn’t been warned that details of the payoff would be disclosed at the end of last night’s cabinet meeting before they had left.
