Cllr Jane Meagher, who is Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, has promised an investigation into the severance package given to the former Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams when he left his role in January.
Lea Harrison – who is now Managing Director of Blackpool Transport – received a severance package of £327,000 following the merging of the tram and bus operations in the city which saw Lothian Buses’ Sarah Boyd become the new Chief Executive.
The news of the size of this package has been met with consternation around Edinburgh with Unite the Union being particularly vocal in their criticism.
Cllr Meagher said: “I cannot see any justification for someone already on such a high salary receiving this type of pay-off for leaving their job. We have written to the chair of the new board asking them to investigate whether proper procedures and board approval processes were followed in the agreement of this package.”
The package was signed off by the former board of Edinburgh Trams.