A £200,000 windfall payment to Kent County Council’s former chief executive actually cost the taxpayer twice as much as originally stated.
Peter Gilroy was given the six-figure sum after agreeing to extend his contract for a year.
It was designed to ensure that his pension was not affected by his decision to stay on.
Now KCC’s auditors have disclosed that agreeing to pay Mr Gilroy actually cost £408,000, taking into account relevant National Insurance and income tax contributions.
The revelation comes in a formal report by the Audit Commission that makes a number of criticisms of the authority over a series of six-figure severance payouts to top officers.
The Auditors have been critical of how the county council negotiated the settlements, saying it failed to properly set out why they were considered value for money.
In the case of Mr Gilroy, who was paid £214,000 last year, the report says councillors were given too little information to allow them to make an informed decision about the proposed payout.
It criticises the council over its failure to assess whether the agreement with the chief executive was value for money, saying no alternatives were explored.
It also says the finance director was not told.
