INQUIRY AFTER HENSHAW POCKETS £360,000...BUT NOT IN ENGLAND

Watchdog begins inquiry into council chief's £130,000 pay-off

SCOTLAND'S public spending watchdog has confirmed it has launched an investigation into the controversial redundancy and pension payment deal given to a senior council official. (not Henshaw, ed)
Audit Scotland is to study details of the £130,000 payment made to John Lindsay, the departing chief executive of East Lothian Council, on top of a £200,000 pension package.
The payments, which were agreed by the Labour-controlled council, prompted complaints to the Accounts Commission - the statutory body that oversees local government - because Mr Lindsay himself recommended the redundancy plan to the authority. (just like Sir Diddy, ed)
Until now, Audit Scotland, which examines councils' finances on behalf of the commission, had not made clear how seriously it would take complaints about East Lothian.
But Caroline Gardner, the deputy auditor general and controller of audit, has now said there was no doubt it had the powers to investigate, even if there had been no complaint. (funny that our District Auditor thought the Henshaw deal was all fine. But then he is a mate of Hasitall's, ed)
She said: "To clarify, the Accounts Commission and Audit Scotland are able to look at any matters which may seem relevant to the audit.
"There is no need to wait for a complaint to be received, and we are currently investigating the situation at East Lothian Council."
A spokeswoman for Audit Scotland said that investigations would be part of the annual audit of the local authority and the watchdog would also look at whether the deal provided good value for council tax payers' money.
However, the results of the investigation will not emerge until well after next week's local government elections, when most of the councillors responsible will have stood down, many with pay-offs funded by council tax payer.

Sir David Henshaw