CALLS have been made for an explanation why a £95,000 settlement has been made by Pembrokeshire County Council and its departing chief executive Ian Westley.

A printed decision stating that director of resources Jon Haswell, in consultation with council leader Cllr David Simpson and cabinet, approves a £95,000 payment “in accordance with the settlement agreement” was dated September 1.

Mr Westley, 60, is expected to leave by the end of November.

He was appointed chief executive in July 2015, having held the post of acting head of paid service for several months previously.

Cllr David Simpson, in his leader’s statement on Friday, said: “As many of you will be aware by now – Ian Westley, the chief executive, is leaving the Authority later this year.

“For the past few months, he has been extremely busy leading the county council’s response to the Covid-19 crises.

“I wish him well for the future and thank him for his contribution to the Authority and the people of Pembrokeshire during his 17 years with us.”

In a statement, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Conservative group said: “Pembrokeshire County Council's Conservative Group would be the first to thank and acknowledge the huge contribution of Mr Ian Westley in nearly two decades of service to the council.

“£95,000 is being reported as a settlement which has been authorised by the leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr David Simpson.

“Clearly the council taxpayers of Pembrokeshire will want to know, and deserve to know, why the leader agreed this.

“Since the current political leadership of Pembrokeshire County Council took office in May 2017, they have presided over an inflation-busting council tax increase of 27.4 per cent over just three years, and this settlement again prompts serious questions about their spending priorities that are being paid for by the hard-working taxpayers of Pembrokeshire.”

Eluned Morgan MS paid tribute to Mr Westley’s work: “As chief executive of Pembrokeshire County Council, Ian quickly put his own stamp on transforming the local authority into an outward looking organisation, keen to work in partnership with others, drawing together new ideas and opportunities to improve services for the benefit of local residents.

“I’ve met with Ian on several occasions to champion issues important to the people of Pembrokeshire and I am sure that many, like me, will want to thank him for his work in Pembrokeshire and to wish him the best for the future.

“The challenges for Pembrokeshire in a post-Brexit, post-Covid economy are clear and I’d expect a robust recruitment process to find a suitable replacement.“

Mr Westley took over from controversial former chief executive Bryn Parry-Jones, who left with a substantial pay off in October 2014.