A repeat of Kingston Council’s secret £128,000 pay-off to former director of children’s services Duncan Clark would have to be approved by councillors in the future.

The council’s latest pay policy proposes any severance payment to a chief officer, director or the chief executive exceeding £100,000 could be decided by councillors at a public meeting.

The policy reads: “The council cannot currently foresee any circumstances where it would wish to offer any new appointment at a salary in excess of £100,000, or to make a severance payment in excess of £100,000.

“However, in the unlikely event these circumstances were to arise, full council could be given the opportunity, should it wish, to endorse any proposed arrangements.”

Conservative councillor Lynne Finnerty said: “I would hope this would ensure that the circumstances which surrounded the departure of the former director of education never happen again.”

Duncan Clark quit as director of Kingston’s children’s services in 2012, days before Ofsted’s damning child protection report was published.

The Surrey Comet had to use Freedom of Information laws to find out how much Kingston Council paid Mr Clark in severance.