By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: Spending almost half a million pounds in a single year on exit payments for senior staff at the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has been branded “a completely shocking waste of public money” by one councillor.
“Substantial” exit packages to three directors at the organisation, together with other settlements to conclude previous cases of senior staff departures, saw the combined authority pay out £475,713 in the 2024/25 financial year. External auditors Grant Thornton revealed the figure in their interim annual report, although WECA’s annual accounts put the figure at £441k for five exit packages.
At a meeting of WECA ’s audit committee on September 15, Jonathan Hucker (Bristol City Council, Stockwood, Conservative) said: “I think the auditors’ report understates the seriousness of the crisis that has engulfed the organisation. […] It is an absolutely huge amount of money and I think its a completely shocking waste of public money.”
He added that, according to his own calculations, the amount paid out in exit payments was equal to the annual income tax paid by 110 people earning an average salary. He said: “Frankly I think spending so much money on these exit packages — considering that in the previous year there was also £219k spent on an exit package — basically it’s a disgrace and it’s a public scandal.”
Grant Thornton said in their report that the departures took place during “attempts to stabilise the organisation” and were “reasonable in context.” But the report warned that continuing to pay out to let senior staff go “is not reflective of good value for money in general terms.”
Mr Huckler questioned why they had judged the payments to be reasonable, when the report said there were no reasons to dismiss the individuals over poor performance. The auditors said they stood by the assessment but could not get into detail due to “sensitivities.” They added that it had factored into their decision to conclude that governance at the combined authority was not effective during 2024/25.
The combined authority — made up of Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, and South Gloucestershire Council — was given a “best value notice” by the government in March 2024 and ordered to improve relationships between officers and politicians and address governance issues. Meetings of the combined authority committee had been marked by sometimes bitter exchanges between then mayor Dan Norris (Labour) and leaders of the three member councils. In 2021, one meeting was boycotted by all council leaders. The best value notice was lifted in 2024, shortly before the local elections saw Helen Godwin (also Labour) replace Mr Norris as mayor.
The auditor’s report closed several recommendations from previous years but warned that “significant weaknesses” remained, rating the combined authority red for governance in 2024/25. But the report added: “We are satisfied that sufficient progress on improving relationships was made in 2024/25 and that this has gained significant momentum since the arrival of the new mayor in May.”
Stephen WIlliams (Bristol City Council, Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze, Liberal Democrat), a former junior minister for local government, said: “The combined authority has existed for eight and a half years so it is pretty extraordinary at this stage that we have had a red rating, which of course means significant weaknesses. […] It is a pretty serious situation in which to find ourselves.”
But WECA’s director of finance, investments, and commercial told the meeting: “It is a positive report and it is really helpful and useful to see that the outstanding historic recommendations that were statutory and key have been lifted. And we have accepted the recommendations that have been put forward to us in this interim report.”
The auditors added that an objection to their interim report had been received and accepted. The final external audit report for the 2024/25 financial year will be submitted to a future meeting of the audit committee.
2024/25 effectively covers the final year of Mr Norris’ time as mayor. Grant Thornton said that Ms Godwin’s appointment of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Liberal Democrat leader Kevin Guy as her deputy mayor had been a “significant step” in the improvement of relationships at a political level. But the report added that relationships had also already improved under Mr Norris from their lowest point.
It said: “Prior to the departure of the former mayor, it was noted that, following his election to parliament in July [2024], he had participated sufficiently to enable WECA business to be progressed. We note from our review of combined authority committee meetings that there had been no examples of further adjournments, walkouts or refusals to participate from members of the committee that had characterised our findings in previous years.”
Mr Norris was arrested in April, towards the end of his term as mayor, on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction, and misconduct in a public office. He remains on police bail while an investigation is ongoing and he has not been charged.
He was already not contesting the 2025 mayoral election as he had been elected as the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham. He was suspended by the Labour Party upon his arrest, although Labour whips have been casting Mr Norris’ proxy vote while he is understood to have been banned from the parliamentary estate.
Note from the editor: Bath Voice has been unable to find our how much the Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Liberal Democrat leader Kevin Guy will be paid as deputy Metro mayor when he was appointed by Metro Mayor Godwin despite a Freedom of Information request which did not answer the question.
Bath Voice and Local Democracy Reporters
The journalists are funded by the BBC as part of its latest Charter commitment, but are employed by regional news organisations. A total of 165 reporters are allocated to news organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including Bath Voice. These organisations range from television and radio stations to online media companies and established regional newspaper groups. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities, second-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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