MORE than £50,000 has been set aside by Torfaen council to fund a redundancy payout.

In July Torfaen County Borough Council’s cabinet agreed to end a collaboration with Blaenau Gwent on the provision of public protection services.

Currently there are five managers spanning two authorities - with each two-and-a-half full-time employees posted at each council. A proposed new proposed structure would increase this to three - but the team manager positions, which include public health, licensing, trading standards and food and commercial are being merged.

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A council report said: “Because of the increased scope of responsibilities assigned to the new managers role the review identified that existing managers would not be able to be directly appointed i.e. slot in.

“Having discussed the scope of the new role with relevant colleagues, it has been mutually agreed that the most appropriate way forward would be to offer a redundancy and to seek to recruit to the new position in line with (the council's) recruitment policies.”

The cost of the redundancy is £51,060. Funds for this will be met through corporate reserves.

The costs associated with early release of pension benefits will be met by the service budget.