I feel very strongly and I am extremely upset by the way the Kent Messenger has orchestrated their story regarding KCC Chief Executive Peter Gilroy’s contract renewal that was agreed in November 2006. Clearly a confidential document from the Council’s Personnel Committee of this date has been leaked to KM reporter Paul Francis.

The KM article is factually incorrect in a significant and important number of ways and in my view is a travesty of the truth.

Paul Francis, on no occasion, approached me directly (as he usually does) for an interview for me to explain the facts.

For readers to better understand, they need to be made aware of the following key events and facts:

When Peter Gilroy was appointed as Chief Executive of KCC in May 2004, Sandy Bruce-Lockhart was the Leader of the Council.

Kent County Council has gone from strength to strength under the strong political leadership of Sandy Bruce-Lockhart and Paul Carter working together with a first class creative Chief Executive, Peter Gilroy.

Kent County Council is at the very top of the national council league tables judged by Audit Commission inspections.
Salary, pension and terms & conditions for the Chief Executive have always been agreed through the all party Council Personnel Committee Chaired by the Leader of the Council (which includes Members of the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative Groups).

The Personnel Committee on 6 November 2006 unanimously supported a report that secured Peter Gilroy’s extended services for a further period of three years which will end with his retirement in May 2010, his previous initial contract expiring on 31st April 2007.

Peter Gilroy could have chosen to leave in May 2007. It was unanimously agreed by all Councillors of all parties this would not have been in the best interest of Kent County Council.

The package offered only addressed the preservation of an undiminished but not enhanced remuneration package then received by Peter Gilroy.

All Chief Officers including the Chief Executive have voluntarily withdrawn their eligibility to a performance reward bonus despite excellent external accreditations and inspections since the economic recession started two years ago.

Yours sincerely

Paul Carter
Leader of Kent County Council

Editor's note:

The KM Group approached the county council well in advance of the publication of our story. We did this through the council's press office as we judged this to be the appropriate channel.

The council press office was contacted on several occasions before publication, reminding it of our deadlines.

Our story accurately reported that the decision made to extend Peter Gilroy's contract to May 2010 was agreed by the all-party Personnel Committee and that the payment he was to receive on the day he left was £200,000.

We accurately reported that the reasons presented to the personnel committee for the payment was under the authority's arrangements for offering Recruitment and Retention Allowances to its staff and that the reasons for doing so were to ensure "continuity of officer leadership during and immediately after the next County Council elections in May 2009."