Chief's payout of £360,000 to be reviewed

SENIOR Tories are to reconsider their decision to award more than £360,000 to a council director taking early retirement.

A corporate issues scrutiny committee is asking East Riding Council's Tory cabinet to review its controversial award to Sue Lockwood's pension fund.

But a stout defence of the Cabinet's position by council leader Steve Parnaby yesterday suggested there was no chance of the decision being reversed.

Coun Parnaby defended the decision to award Ms Lockwood, who is in her mid-50s, the money, saying it was part of a long-standing settlement with the trade unions.

Andrew Allison, of the Hull and East Riding branch of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "He's still not addressing the issue that this is a discretionary award. I am disappointed it didn't go to full council as I'm sure it would have been overturned."