Elected members were blocked from discussing the shock exit of a Highland Council education chief during a stormy meeting yesterday.
The appointment of Paul Senior as an education executive chief officer caused controversy when it was revealed that his fee was £936-a-day, or the equivalent of almost £250,000 per year.
Last week, the council confirmed he would now be leaving following recommencement of the school term next week, after just three months in the post.
Councillor Andrew Baxter lodged an emergency motion at the full council meeting yesterday, with the support of seven other councillors.
It asked for a “verbal update from the chairman of the education committee on the appointment, the terms of employment, the key planned outcomes agreed at the commencement of employment and the circumstances of his announced departure at the end of August”.
The councillors also wanted to know the “full costs of employment to the council at termination, including recruitment and agency costs”.
However, Mr Baxter was stopped in his tracks at the outset by council convener Bill Lobban, who refused to take the motion.
Mr Lobban said: “Whether we take an emergency motion is up to me.”
He added later that discussions about education matters should be made at the education committee, which next meets on Thursday.
At the time of his appointment, Mr Senior said he was “looking forward to making the region one of the “best places in Scotland’ for children to learn and develop”.
