A FORMER council CEO was given more than £188k to leave her role, new documents have confirmed. 

Sandy Hopkins, the former chief executive of Southampton City Council left the authority earlier this year. 

Coming as the ruling Conservative group said they wanted "a different style of leadership", the CEO, who was on £189,180 annually, stood down in February. 

But now it has been confirmed that Ms Hopkins received a payoff of £188,239 as a result of her departure. 

READ MORE: Concerns as Southampton City Council CEO due to step down

The figures have been published in the council's updated statement of accounts for 2021/22. 

Concerns were raised at the time about the cost of the departure with Labour leader, Cllr Satvir Kaur saying: "This unnecessary restructuring is coming at a huge cost to local taxpayers."

READ MORE: Southampton City Council CEO to earn between £160k and £191k a year

But the then leader of the council, Conservative, Cllr Daniel Fitzhenry said: “We believe that realising the changing ambitions and overseeing this next phase of delivery now requires a different style of leadership from our role of chief executive."

The documents also reveal a £63,000 payoff for former executive director for wellbeing, Hilary Brooks in June 2020. 

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