THE decision to discuss Herefordshire Council ’s highly-paid new chief executive position in secret session has been branded “an absolute nonsense”.

It’s Our County leader Councillor Mark Hubbard told an employment panel, sitting before a private discussion into Chris Bull’s replacement, that he couldn’t understand why such talks should be held behind closed doors.

The Hereford Times was at the initial debate but had to leave the chamber after a majority of councillors voted to discuss the issue in private.

“I can see no reason why the public interest is outweighed by keeping it private,” said Coun Hubbard.

He told the panel that he had read the report and could see no reason why all matters were being kept from the public.

“It is an absolute nonsense,” he added.

“It is the future of the organisation here, a chief executive post. There is huge interest in the issue.”

Coun Hubbard now intends to put the issue of secret sessions to the council’s overview and scrutiny committee.

Current chief executive Chris Bull, whose salary last year was £183,724, is set to leave the council next month. A decision on the top job could go into 2013.

  • Elsewhere, new figures released this week have revealed the full cost of county councillor expenses and the price of "exit packages".