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Equality chief attacked for rehiring colleagues on even higher salaries
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor20 Jul 2009
Britain's equalities chief Trevor Phillips was today criticised by the Government's spending watchdog for re-hiring seven of his former colleagues on inflated pay only weeks after handing them large redundancy payments.
A report by the National Audit Office said that the “special” payments could not be approved because they were “significantly higher” earnings than their previous salaries. The seven were also offered a “loyalty bonus”.
The report also warned that there was “insufficient evidence” to show that the re-employed staff, who included some of Mr Phillips's closest personal allies, provided “value for money” when compared with alternatives.
Today's criticism centres on seven former employees of the Commission for Racial Equality, one of three organisations disbanded to make way for the new Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The seven, who included Colleen Harris, a former press aide to Prince Charles, all worked for Mr Phillips when he was head of the CRE and were given severance payments that in total cost £629,276 when the organisation was wound up.
They were then re-employed on a consultancy basis at a cost to the new equalities commission of £323,708.
The auditors also suggested that the re-hired staff should have repaid the redundancy payouts and that not doing so could have breached Civil Service rules. They are so concerned they will not approve the commission's annual accounts.
The disclosures place fresh pressure on Mr Phillips. He has been hit by a string of recent resignations and there has been persistent criticism from equalities campaigners about his management style, which intensified last week when he was reappointed as the commission's chairman for another three years.
In a further blow, Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill is expected to resign soon in protest at the way the body is run. Mr Summerskill's would follow the departure of five others, including three in the past week.
One of the departing commissioners, Sir Bert Massie, former chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, today said the £70 million-a-year equalities commission's corporate governance had “been a shambles from the start”.
Sir Bert, 60, who has been disabled since he was three months old, said: “We never got it right and responsibility always lies at the top. Many of us thought a change of leadership might improve matters. Instead, the minister decided to re-apppoint the chair and make the rest of us re-apply for our jobs, which is not an honourable way of proceeding.”
Mr Phillips's allies reject the criticisms of what they call his up-to-date management style and insist his opponents are motivated by political grievances.
Reader views (11)
Well at least with all the resignations the wage bill will have dropped.
Having worked in the public sector, the little ruse of staff leaving their employ and then being re employed as a consultant etc is not an isolated incident, as is regrading of jobs to get round low % pay increases. It is as bad as 'we have to pay these vast sume to retain top people'. No you don't, let the public employees go and see how well they would perform in the private sector. Not very well by all accounts. All the failures from the private sector are now being employed by Gordon as Tzars because they are the best. In the private sector they have made bad decisions, in the public sector they are brilliant. Speaks volumes. Do not also forget that the salaries paid in the public sector are paid as a result of 'independant' assesments by independant bodies. Those same independant bodies that get most of their consultancy work from the government. How about that for independance!!!
- Alan, carlisle uk, 21/07/2009 08:49
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sack him
- George, france, 21/07/2009 07:14
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I think society is starting to realize that our government and its MP's are mostly a bunch of crooks and thieves; no better than the ones that rob houses and property.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, london, 21/07/2009 03:06
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Tick Tock . . . I believe YOU've actually got what YOU actually voted for, for all those decades, (incl 2005 & 2009) . . . Cameron . . . "Heir To Blair" . . . Tick Tock . . . Oh Hello War, how nice to see you again . . . do please come in . . . . I am sure . . . . Thwack.
- Very Very Pessimistic, Nottingham UK, 21/07/2009 00:57
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Equality? Rules for some different rules for others in Labours New Britian
- A Trebilcock, Manchester uk, 20/07/2009 17:49
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Being employed by the EU, is now above the Law
of the Land, in fact is the Law in the Police State.
- William, Hay~Heath UK, 20/07/2009 16:06
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So, OK, let's see.
The CRE was closed down on the whim of New Labour. Staff were given redundancy payments as was their right.
Then as the new body they were asked to work for had a much bigger remit (as a direct result of New Labour meddling) they would be expected to receive higher salaries.
Is this another attack on Mr Philips, inspired by New Labour?
- Matt, Telford, UK, 20/07/2009 15:55
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If the re-hire was really just a paper-change in jobs then the 'severance pay' should be returned.
- Rogan, Irving, 20/07/2009 15:18
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Close the whole thing down -
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties, 20/07/2009 14:46
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I suppose employing a white equality czar would just be plain racist. Or here's an idea, why not just employ somebody who can do the job who hasn't got sticky fingers?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 20/07/2009 13:54
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It's like the Lee Jasper farce all over again.
- P Staker, London, 20/07/2009 10:44
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