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Highland Council boss to donate European elections fee to charities


By Scott Maclennan

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Donna Manson.
Donna Manson.

Highland Council chief executive Donna Manson has revealed that instead of earning thousands as the local returning officer at yesterday’s European Parliament elections she will instead donate the fee to charities that “support vulnerable people”.

It is believed her fee would have been somewhere in the region of £8853 as set out in the European Parliamentary elections order 2019, which is paid by public money.

The charities or groups that are set to benefit from the windfall have not yet been determined, it is also possible the final sum could change.

A council spokeswoman said: “Chief executive Donna Manson has stated that she will not be accepting fees for any form of election duties in her role as CEO and will instead donate these to groups who support vulnerable people and will be transparent.”

Her predecessor Steve Barron donated his fee after a public outcry in 2016 across the country as well-paid executives were raking it in for the EU referendum. He earned £8131.

As a local returning officer, Mrs Manson’s a workload covers planning, staffing and maintaining the integrity of the election.

The Highland count will take place today in Dingwall from 4.30pm.


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