A TROUBLED council is paying its temporary chief executive £735 a day, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Opposition councillors have branded the estimated £40,000 fee being paid to Jack Neal for only four months' work as "outrageous".

Dr Neal started work as interim boss of Richmondshire District Council last Monday, hired on a four-month contract, until the outcome of the county's bid to become a unitary authority is known.

During that time, he will be paid nearly £3,000 a week for working four days, as well as expenses.

According to the latest census, that is ten times the average wage in Richmondshire.

The former chief executive of Caradon District Council, in Cornwall, he was recruited to replace Harry Tabiner.

Mr Tabiner took early retirement at the end of last month, but he will continue to be paid his salary of about £90,000 a year until the end of next month.

Councillor Richard Dunn is a member of the resourses committee, which approved Dr Neal's appointment.

He said he opposed the move, saying: "I could never support something that would cost the tax payer this amount of money when the existing chief executive is still being paid.

"There's every likelihood he (Dr Neal) will be staying if the unitary bid progresses, as we are not going to get anyone to take over.

"Then would this outrageous rate just continue to be paid?"

Councillor Lynn Miller said: "It seems incredible that he's earning more in a day than a lot of people in the district earn in a month."

But council leader Councillor John Blackie defended the appointment.

He said: "The rates being quoted are competitive for an interim chief executive.

"Indeed, other would-be candidates contacted me direct as leader of the council and quoted rates which were more expensive."

"It's competitive, but we would recognise it's not cheap either.

"Dr Neal is only paid for the time he works. There is no allowance for a pension, sickness or holidays.

"The only other expense is for accommodation and Dr Neal has chosen to stay at a very reasonably-priced bed and breakfast in the area."

Coun Blackie said Dr Neal's appointment would only cost the council an extra £250 a week after June 1, when Mr Tabiner's wages would no longer being paid.

A council spokesman said that until then, Mr Tabiner was being employed as the council's returning officer and was carrying out other duties when required.

"It is common practice for there to be an overlap between the outgoing and incoming chief executive," he said.

It is understood that part of the £735-a-day rate is being paid to a recruitment agency.

The departure of Mr Tabiner and appointment of Dr Neal has been billed as a fresh start by senior councillors after years of in-fighting and bad feeling at the council over plans to build £5m offices in Colburn.

Four other senior officers have agreed to take early retirement as part of a management restructuring exercise.

Those officers will not be replaced.

Senior councillors say the exercise will save the council £500,000 during the next eight years.