SIX-FIGURE redundancy packages in the public sector would be a thing of the past under proposals announced today (TUES) by the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat shadow minister for local government, is arguing that pay-outs should be capped at £90,000 for people working in the NHS and for council staff.

The move comes after several controversial ‘golden goodbyes’ funded by the taxpayer.

Last week it was reported that Carmarthenshire County Council chief executive Mark James, deemed by the Wales Audit Office to have received two sets of unlawful payments has could be in line for a severance deal worth £446,000.

This followed the announcement last year by Pembrokeshire Council that it paid its former chief executive Bryn Parry-Jones an estimated £330,000. Last year, Mary Burrows, the then chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr was reported to have received a deal worth £470,000.

Under their plans, the Welsh Liberal Democrats would bring forward legislation in the next Assembly to outlaw six-figure payouts.

Peter Black AM said: “The Welsh Liberal Democrats would put an end to six-figure golden goodbyes that have cost hard-pressed taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.

“At a time when nurses, teachers and police have all either had their salaries frozen or they’ve seen a minimal pay-rise, it is simply not acceptable that some people working in the public sector are on the receiving end of six-figure redundancy payments.

“We all know how tough the economic climate is at the moment; therefore what is particularly galling is that this is money that is being taken away from front line services.

“For too long the Welsh Labour Government has sat back and accepted these pay-outs; this complacency must end. The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe legislation should be introduced into the Assembly that would outlaw these six-figure payouts.”