SALARY packages for two director positions at Herefordshire Council totalling almost £200,000 have been agreed.

An Employment Panel signed off a package of between £91,000 to £98,000 for the empty posts of director of public health and director of resources, both of which are yet to be appointed.

The panel has also given its thumbs up to paying the director of adults and wellbeing £120,000, although this must be ratified by full council as the amount involved exceeds £100,000.

Geoff Hughes, the council’s director for places and communities, said the council’s financial position had improved during a time when the authority had interim staff.

“The chief executive, Alistair Neill, has proposed that we move to recruit a number of roles permanently that have previously been interim,” he added.

The council believes the anticipated cost of recruiting would be as much as £15,000 per post.

It justifies this by saying the money would be used for “specialist agencies”

to source “good quality candidates”, although Mr Hughes said the actual figure was likely to be less.

The council’s deputy leader, however, said the recruits would save the council money in due course.

“Sometimes we have to invest in a recruitment process to ensure we get value for money,” said Cllr Patricia Morgan.

Adult and Wellbeing has a 2014/15 savings target of £5.5 million of which 44 per cent has been delivered.