Interesting Gazette story which, unfortunately, doesn't include any information on such payouts at HBC. (I guess we're not part of Teesside this week ;))
Much of the problem appears to be when people volunteer for redundancy early, the authorities will pay pension contributions equivalent to an amount that would have been paid had the employee carried on working until retirement. In some cases, the employee then finds a job at another authority which then pays additional contributions to the employees pension pot - 'doubling up' in other words - all making for a very nice pension indeed.
As usual, there is a marked difference with anyone being made redundant in the private sector. In the private sector, pensions contributions generally stop abruptly on redundancy.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2013/01/08/revealed-the-23m-of-teesside-council-worker-pay-offs-84229-32564699/2/
Pink Papered ???????????????????????
I keep bumping into a bloke with a red anorak. He was waiting with someone getting the London train on Sunday and nearly got run over by me on the ramp pedestrian crossing at around 2 pm today.