Over $250K paid in severance

• Published date: 01 November 2023

Details of severance payments of more than $250,000 have been included in this year’s Gore District Council draft annual report

The report, prepared by corporate support general manager Lornae Straith, was tabled at yesterday’s council meeting.

For the year ended June 30, 2023, the council made severance payments to one employee of $33,022, the report said.

It also mentioned last year three employees were paid out $229,178.63.

‘‘The severance payments were not disclosed last year due to a difference in interpretation which has since been clarified.’’

The payments for the year ended June 30, 2022, were $5000, $41,678.63 and $182,500 — of which $100,000 was partial reimbursement of legal costs.

It is understood last year Rebecca Tayler, Gore District Mayor Ben Bell’s mother, was paid an undisclosed sum after an employment dispute with the council.

Also in the report, which has yet to be signed off by the council’s auditor Deloitte, the council recorded a deficit of $2.433million, more than triple its budgeted deficit...