Council ‘fat cat’ boss subject to expenses investigation

Summary of story from The Telegraph, June 3, 2011

Andrea Hill, 47, one of Britain’s highest earning council bosses is facing an investigation into her significant expense claims.

Ms Hill is no stranger to controversy.  She was cleared only recently after claims that her management style left colleagues feeling intimidated.

A review was held after David White, the council’s head of legal services, was found hanged on April 4 in a Suffolk woodland.

An anonymous letter detailing Ms Hill’s “dominant management style” landed on senior official’s desks shortly afterwards and prompted an investigation.

Since she was taken on in 2008 her salary of over £200,000 has given rise to ‘fat cat’ allegations, and recent high expense bills have raised eyebrows even further.

Her £12,000 spend on a management guru and preference for favouring more expensive hotels than her colleagues have not increased her popularity.

She has also refused Whitehall demands that Council executives earning over £200, 000 should incur a 10 per cent pay cut, although she does point out she has refused a pay rise on two separate occasions.

The MP for Central Suffolk, Dean Poulter, has called for her resignation, branding her “arrogant” and “remote” and adding: “I think many residents of Suffolk will be delighted to see Andrea Hill leave.”

The findings of this current investigation will be aired on June 24 and Ms Hill will remain on full paid leave until that date – as she has been since the primary enquiry at Easter.

A council spokesman said: “Suffolk County Council is anxious that all investigations are completed and resolved as soon as possible in the interests of all those involved.”