The saga over whether or not Harrow Council employs a top dog to run the town hall has hit a delay.
Conservative opposition councillors have riled against a decision taken by the Labour administration to restore the role of the chief executive at the authority, who would earn a six-figure salary.
The decision has now been ‘called in’ by the opposition, meaning the authority will have to revisit the decision and justify the way it was made.
Earlier this year the council launched a survey of 5,000 people including council staff, union representatives, politicians and council-ran school staff to gather opinions on the chief executive role and if it should return, however less than 400 people responded.
Leader of the Conservative Group Councillor Susan Hall, who scrapped the role while in power last year, said: “With all the cuts Labour are planning to make to vital services, restoring such a highly-paid position is the wrong decision at the wrong time.
“That being the case, call-in is more about the process behind the decision - and typically Labour have failings there, too.
“They kept the consultation options as narrow as they could, they ignored expert independent advice that restoring the role is not needed, and they’re going against policies agreed by full council earlier in the year.”
The call-in committee will meet on Thursday, October 2.
Labour declined to comment.
