'Stalinist' row over extra pay (From The Bolton News)

'Stalinist' row over extra pay

A LABOUR councillor has accused Liberal Democrat controlled Westhoughton council of wasting taxpayers' money and running the council like something out of Stalinist Russia.

The row broke out after a majority of councillors on the town council agreed to pay more than £1,000 to a council employee - even though, it is alleged, her contract ruled out extra payments.

But leader of the council, Cllr David Wilkinson, says the payment was justified as it rewarded a first-class employee who had put in more than 150 hours extra work.

However, furious Hulton Park councillor Eric Hyland said: "As far as I'm concerned, the council could have spent £1,000 on more useful things."

Cllr Hyland claims that when he asked to see a copy of her contract, his request was refused.

He said: "It's a total waste of money. I think the public has a right to know where their Council Tax money is being spent.

"To refuse to show me a copy of the contract and to ban the public from hearing the reasons for this increase smacks of something out of Stalinist Russia.

"Whether the person in question deserved to be paid extra or not is not the issue.

"If someone accepts a job which does not pay overtime, they know they will not receive overtime."

Cllr Wilkinson said Cllr Hyland was not entitled to look at the contract because it was confidential.

He said: "The person in question put in more than 150 extra hours to ensure a project was up-and-running in time, but the money was not an overtime payment."

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