Non-Disclosure Agreements for Former Employees - Find a freedom of information request

1. During each of the last three financial years, ending April 2019, how many non-disclosure agreements did the authority enter into with staff who were leaving the authority?

2. During each of the last three financial years, ending April 2019, how much did the authority spend on non-disclosure agreements made with staff leaving the authority? Please provide both a total amount for each year and a breakdown of the amounts of each individual NDA payment made

3. For each non-disclosure agreement entered into in the least three financial years, ending April 2019, on what grounds did the authority make the decision that entering into said NDA was necessary?

Settlement agreements are used as a legally binding contract to allow a member of staff to leave the Council based on a mutual financial agreement and avoiding litigation.  Whilst the reasons for each agreement remain confidential the Council does not has entered into agreement where there are issues of safeguarding or to silence victims of abuse, victimisation or discrimination. 

1. The number of settlement agreements entered into: 

• 2016/17:  10
• 2017/18 : 9
• 2018/19 : 6

2. The total cost of agreements each year and individual figures:

3. The reasons for agreements are confidential and as such will not be divulged as part of this request.