ELEVEN full-time staff, among them senior management, are to be offered early retirement if recommendations going before the executive on Monday are approved. The proposals come after the executive approved an increase in the council tax of 2.46 per cent – still to go before the full council – a figure targeted at achieving efficiency savings of nearly £1.4 million in the next three years. The changes include assistant to the chief executive, currently held by David Beer, who would be offered early retirement with effect from the end of March next year, and Graham Walker, the head of economic and external funding, who would leave in June 2007. If the executive approves the moves, it would mean efficiency savings of £50,000 immediately, with an initial net saving of £46,000 in 2007 leading to net savings of almost £100,000 in each of the following two years. Cllr Alan Connett, the council leader, said they wanted to keep council tax increases as low as possible and at the same time continue to invest in services such as public conveniences, clean streets, car parks, children's play and, importantly, economic development. 'By carefully managing our finances we had the lowest council tax increase in the south west last year and we were the only district council in the country not to increase its council tax this year. 'We will probably have the lowest increase in Devon next year at 2.46 per cent,' he said. The deputy leader Cllr Ray Frost added: 'We have worked closely with all the staff involved in these proposals and as a result we will be able to achieve these savings without any redundancies. We are grateful to our staff and their representatives in Unison for working positively with us on this plan which will enable us to make savings over the next few years without compromising services.' A report going before Monday's meeting says the staff who are affected have indicated their acceptance of the principles of the offer of retirement. In a few cases discussions were still continuing on the actual date. While supporting the early retirement of staff, the Teignbridge branch of Unison has expressed concern at a lack of consultation with all service heads at an earlier stage of the process. In a letter to the council, it says it is also concerned about the impact early retirement could have on the remaining staff. 'We would ask that this situation is monitored closely to ensure that no undue pressure is imposed on our members who may have to take on additional duties,' the letter adds.
