A parish councillor was prevented from asking about the pay-off awarded to the former chief executive of Newcastle City Council at meeting of the full council last night.

The council applied new procedures to the Public Question Time section of this month’s council meeting, requiring members of the public to have their addresses vetted by the council in advance. Darren Piper was informed that his question was rejected under these new rules because it related to “confidential matters”.

Hazlerigg Parish Councillor Darren Piper, who is also contesting Parklands Ward for the Conservatives on 6 May said: “Independent figures from the National Audit Office indicate that a typical award to a Chief Executive removed from his job early can range from £250,000 to £500,000. If the pay off was as high as half a million pounds, Newcastle City Council squandered the council tax of almost 500 households in the city.

“I wanted to get a reassurance from the council that future severance awards would not be made secretly under non-disclosure agreements which prevent the public being aware of how their money is being used. I also wanted to establish that no front line services have been cut to find the money for his pay-off.

“I was disappointed but not surprised to have my question turned down. Last month, Liberal Democrat councillors heckled a member of the public who asked for greater transparency in council expenditure.  Now, they’re not even letting us ask the question.

“The council should have no right to sign agreements which keep council taxpayers in the dark  about such large pay outs and under no circumstance should “protocol” be used to prevent awkward questions being asked. After all, this is public money not council money.”

Stephen Parkinson, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Newcastle North, said: “For too long, Newcastle City Council has made too many decisions behind closed doors. The public expect councillors to spend their money wisely, yet Newcastle’s Lib Dem councillors refuse to be held to account.

“They are now censoring members of the public who want to raise issues with the council. Where will it all end?”