Compensation payout of £118,000 given to council director on leaving office
By Rebecca Maer
A compensation payment of more than £118,000 was made to a council director for “loss of office” making it one of the top ten largest payouts by local authorities across the UK.
The payment of more than a year’s salary was made to the director of tourism, culture and organisational development for Eastbourne and Lewes who left on 31 March 2025.
Their total remuneration package, with the £118,450 compensation payment, totalled £253,157 for 2024 / 25, according to Eastbourne Borough Council’s annual statement of accounts.
The council’s organisational chart for 2025 showed that Becky Cooke was in this role at that time. We have asked the council whether the payment was made to Ms Cooke.
The £118,450 "loss of office” payment is listed in the council's annual statement of accounts, where the director’s leaving date is confirmed.
It is on page 51 of the 112-page document, under the senior management remuneration section in notes to the accounts.
The corporate management team members are formally employed by Eastbourne Borough Council but some costs are shared with Lewes District Council, according to the document.
The costs for the director of tourism, culture and organisational development were split 55% Eastbourne Borough Council and 45% Lewes District Council.
The director of tourism, culture and organisational change had a salary of £105,514 in 2024 / 25, expenses of £8,522 and pension contributions of £9,678. Their total remuneration package, with the compensation payment, totalled £253,157.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance, in its annual ‘Town Hall Rich List’ report, ranks the payment as the ninth highest compensation payout in the country.
The top payment was £222,529 to the assistant chief executive of Cambridge.
The sixth highest compensation payment was elsewhere in Sussex for £142,388 to the corporate director economy, environment and culture at Brighton & Hove City Council. This was also to an “undisclosed” person.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance said local authorities in England and Wales were only required to provide names for those with a salary of £150,000 or more.
The 'Town Hall Rich List'
The ‘Town Hall Rich List’ for 2024 / 25 found that 4,733 council employees received more than £100,000 remuneration, with 1,255 receiving more than £150,000 in total remuneration.
Eastbourne Borough Council’s statement of accounts for 2024 / 25 shows that the chief executive Robert Cottrill, shared 50/50 between Eastbourne and Lewes councils at the time, had a salary of £154,323 and pension contributions of £28,847.
Mr Cottrill also become temporary interim chief executive of Hastings Borough Council in November 2024.
He has been chief executive at Eastbourne Borough Council for 16 years and chief executive of Lewes District Council for ten years.
:: Rebecca Maer is a qualified journalist with 30 years’ experience in the UK and overseas as a news reporter and business editor at organisations including the Press Association and The Observer. She started the Eastbourne Reporter in 2022 to revive genuine journalism in the town
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