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Extract from an email from Cornwall Council's Head of Legal Services:

"Under the provisions of the Accounts and Audit (Amendment No.2) (England) Regulations 2009, the Council was obliged to disclose the amount paid to Peter Lewis by way of compensation.

"I was present at all the meetings regarding the new severance policy and I recall it being said that Compromise Agreements were a standard means by which the arrangements for staff departures from organisations were set out when such departures were individually negotiated and that confidentiality clauses were standard provisions in such Agreements.

"The Chief Executive kept the Leader and the relevant Cabinet Member advised of the negotiations which he properly undertook as part of his delegated powers. He took advice in relation to those negotiations from the Assistant Director of HR and myself and we were satisfied that it was appropriate for the Council to enter into the Compromise Agreement on the terms set out therein."