Unions welcome departure of chief executive

Southampton City Council chief executive Alistair Neill. Southampton City Council chief executive Alistair Neill.

UNIONS last night welcomed the departure of Southampton council chief executive Alistair Neill.
A Unison newsletter criticised his handling of an industrial dispute at the council last summer including among other things challenging the right to strike.
The council’s largest union accused him of “lecturing” officials on basic economics over the controversial staff pay cuts brought in by Conservatives and taking an abrasive approach during negotiations to settle the pay dispute.
The newsletter said union members did not share an assessment by Tories that Mr Neill had done a “tremendous” job in his £165,000 a year post.
And it said unions looked forward to a new chief executive who understood the need to consult and negotiate with staff representatives.
Mr Neill, 55, will be leaving the council in March after two-and-a-half years to become the chief executive of Tory led Herefordshire County Council.

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Comments(6)

loosehead says...
1:20pm Tue 20 Nov 12

Maybe it was because he wouldn't obey the Unions like Labour are now doing?

Rockhopper says...
2:02pm Tue 20 Nov 12

The last Chief Executive Brad Roynon retired early because he didn't want to deal with the cuts and now Alistair Neill
has had enough.
Once the Conservatives led by Royston Smith who employed him were kicked out it was obvious he wasn't going to hang around and work with the Labour group.
Whether he did a good job or not is irrelevant this post does not justify a £165K salary.
Talk of a shared Chief Executive with another Council seems the way to go in order to save money and has worked successfully elsewhere.
Just don't go anywhere near Hampshire CC Ken Thornber etc...

nedscrumpo says...
2:11pm Tue 20 Nov 12

Similar salary to the Prime Minister? Overrated, overpaid and over and out. Good riddance

huckit P says...
3:59pm Tue 20 Nov 12

The unions didn't like him because he stood up against them instead of simply caving in to their whims and fancies.
If a CE or CEO agreed with everything the unions wanted he would not be doing his job properly (like it or not).

aldermoorboy says...
4:32pm Tue 20 Nov 12

Union leaders 6 -0 The Public
Vote Tory in 2014

loosehead says...
6:26pm Tue 20 Nov 12

Rockhopper wrote:
The last Chief Executive Brad Roynon retired early because he didn't want to deal with the cuts and now Alistair Neill
has had enough.
Once the Conservatives led by Royston Smith who employed him were kicked out it was obvious he wasn't going to hang around and work with the Labour group.
Whether he did a good job or not is irrelevant this post does not justify a £165K salary.
Talk of a shared Chief Executive with another Council seems the way to go in order to save money and has worked successfully elsewhere.
Just don't go anywhere near Hampshire CC Ken Thornber etc...
Do you mean like the share that the Tories had set up with the Isle Of wight which was worth millions to this city yet Williams scrapped it?

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