Colchester's chief executive has been ordered back to work - a month after he was told he could take early retirement.

At last night's (Wednesday's) specially called Colchester Council meeting, councillors refused John Cobley's request to take early retirement after 16 years in the top job.

A Labour motion calling on councillors to allow him to go - at a cost of up to £500,000 was defeated by a vote of 28 against, 19 for and two absentions.

Mr Cobley, 52, has worked in local government since 1972 and became Colchester's chief executive in 1984. He is the council's highest paid officer with a salary in the region of £80,000.

Early retirement would have cost the council £233,000 in pension costs and councillors said the total package would have cost a quarter to half a million pounds.

Tim Young (Lab, St Andrew's) proposed to allow Mr Cobley, who he described as "a loyal and dedicated servant" to take early retirement.

He said: "He deserves to be treated with dignity. To ask somebody who does not want to be here to oversee the restructuring does not make any sense at all."

The council will be reviewing the council's management structure. Elizabeth Blundell (Con, West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green) said councillors should consider their duty to the chief executive, the public who would be concerned by budget cuts and other employees who may be demoralised if the chief executive departs.

Ian McCord (Con, Prettygate) asked: "This year the council budget removed floral decorations to save £9,000. How can we say to anyone we do not have the money to repair council housing or to repair the roads or finance the carnival but we can find this amount?"

John Jowers (Con, West Mersea) told fellow councillors they had to consider why Mr Cobley had made the request. He asked if Mr Cobley had been prompted by the change to Cabinet structure and praised his commitment to his role.

"He is a man who is well trusted and I thought worked for less than he was worth. He is a man who has worked heart and soul for the borough. The parishes will tell you he is a rock.

"He advised us against taking on the new structure. When we made the decision his job was going."

Council leader Bill Frame (Lib Dem, St Mary's) said: "The view going round that the position of chief executive is redundant is not true."

Mr Cobley last night (Wednesday) declined to comment.

Taxpayers had right to know

The Evening Gazette brought the issue of the chief executive's pension package in to the public arena - forcing councillors to dicuss the issue in public.

Documents detailing just how much Mr Cobley's early retirement would cost Colchester Council were delivered to Gazette Editor Irene Kettle.

We felt you - the taxpayers of Colchester - had a right to know what the five-strong Cabinet was planning to pass, without debating the issue at full council.

Our report forced the Cabinet to allow full council discuss the issue, and rank and file councillors supported us by voting to allow public and press in to the meeting.

Under the Local Government Act 1972 councils have the power to exclude the public and press from being present at discussions of agenda items containing exempt information such as confidential personal, financial and legal advice.

Last night (Wednesday) councillors agreed to allow the press and public to stay by 21 votes to 16 against.

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