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26
Jan
Combined authority declines to reveal former director's redundancy payment
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has refused to reveal the redundancy payment for one of its senior directors.
Simon Dennis, who was corporate director for policing, fire and crime with a salary of £100,950, left the authority on January 1 this year.
Mr Dennis was previously chief executive of the Office of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, a position he held since 2021.
He was paid a salary of £125,621 to oversee the commissioner’s office.
However, his role changed after the commissioner’s powers were transferred to the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire in May 2024 and the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning was formed.
Rachel Antonelli, head of legal and monitoring officer at the combined authority, told a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel meeting last week that Mr Dennis had requested voluntary redundancy from the combined authority.
She said:
Over the last few months, Simon approached the combined authority with a view to any scope for voluntary redundancy and, as I’m sure you are aware, that is quite a sensitive time in terms of consultation and negotiation.
The combined authority confirmed that Mr Dennis’ role would not be replaced.
The Stray Ferret asked the combined authority how much Mr Dennis was paid in redundancy and why it agreed to his request.
A spokesperson for the authority said it was a “confidential staffing matter” and that the former director’s request was agreed to “as an efficiency saving”.
In a statement following his departure from the combined authority, he said:
It has been a huge honour and privilege to serve the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Police, Fire & Crime Commissioners across both York & North Yorkshire and before that, the Police & Crime Commissioners in Cleveland. More recently we’ve completed the transfer of policing, fire and crime functions to become a key part of the Mayor’s programme for York & North Yorkshire.
Although the time is now right for me to move on, I know my team will serve the Mayor and Deputy Mayor with distinction and professionalism, helping deliver the Mayor’s new statutory plans for this area. I wish both every success in delivering for York & North Yorkshire.
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