Protesters rally to oppose £360,000 'golden goodbye'

The Taxpayers' Alliance held a rally outside County Hall, in Beverley, to protest at the Tory Cabinet's decision to pump 364,205 into departing director of corporate resources Sue Lockwood's pension fund.

Eighteen months ago councillors were criticised for allowing senior officers, including Ms Lockwood, large backdated pay rises, but said they were to "retain and attract staff".

Tory councillors had been warned that showing up yesterday would be viewed as "utterly disloyal" to council leader Steve Parnaby. Group secretary Felicity Temple said: "To have members of the group so publicly supporting this seems not only disrespectful of our group leader, but also utterly disloyal...

"I do hope anyone contemplating joining this protest march... will think again and not overstep the mark."

Beverley resident Marjorie Shields, 82, retired from nursing in 1996 after more than four decades, to find she was due 69p a week until her husband reached the age of 65.

She said: "I've been fuming ever since I read the first thing about her."

John Robinson, of Paull, said residents were being "betrayed":

"A democracy means everything should be driven by a consensus of people. They make decisions behind closed doors."

Ukip's Euro MP for Yorkshire, Godfrey Bloom, and a local ratepayer, said: "They have been here so long they think they can do what they like. They need booting out."

Independent councillor John Whittle said: "It's just the principle. I find it just wrong, it's as simple as that."

Coun Parnaby, who has defended the payment, has announced a review of the discretionary scheme. He said the scheme formed part of negotiations with unions back in the 1990s over the implementation of "single status" and "job evaluation" which had saved 3m a year over the last decade.