Paid For Doing Nothing - Hanover Municipal Police remain on payroll after contracts were terminated

No. 55 Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Hanover Parish Council has once again been placed under the microscope after news has emerged that the local body is still paying a monthly salary to Municipal Police officers, who have had their contracts terminated by the council.

   Unconfirmed reports reaching the Western Mirror, is that late last year the Council terminated the services of some of the Municipal Police officers in an effort to cut cost. This resulted in some of the officers seeking legal advice. It is out of this advice that it was reported that there was a clause in it that stated the officers even though their contract was broken after being given due notice had to be paid for the reminder of the life of the agreement.
   This has reportedly resulted in the discarded employees still receiving payments at the end of the month which runs into thousands of dollars. This has not gone down well with some persons who have opined that the situation should have been dealt with in a manner that would not have now placed the council in an embarrassing situation.
   "This is unacceptable the council is having an acute financial problem yet they have to be paying out money to work not done. There is clearly a need to expeditiously revisit the situation," one obviously upset person who has knowledge of the situation said.
   The Municipal Police was meant to be the source of collecting increased revenue to the council, but has now been watered down. How can the revenue arm be cut off and the spending remains untouched?" The source questioned sarcastically.
   Attempts to get a comment from the secretary manager proved futile this as she was said to be in a meeting. However, when contacted, Mayor Lloyd Hill acknowledged that some Municipal Police officers have had their contracts terminated. He promised to investigate the situation and better appraise himself before commenting. "If the allegations are indeed true it will come at a time when the Council is grappling to deal with fallout on the political and financial side of things. The council needs to strengthen its revenue collection arm, if this is not done then the entire thing will collapse," one person closely associated with the Council's running. 
   To make matters worst, the source further added that the discarded Municipal Police officers will continue to get payment for the next few months. If these allegations are true how will the Hanover Parish Council deal with it? This is the million dollar question.