COUNCIL tax should go up to help repair the failing children’s services in Somerset, it was claimed this week.

The suggestion came as it was confirmed former interim director Peter Lewis was costing the county council £1,625 a day until he left last month – the authority says it sacked him, he claims he resigned.

Mr Lewis, who was bought in to turn around the department after inspectors judged it to be inadequate, cost a total of £318,500, including £24,500 in expenses, all paid through an agency.

Taxpayer David Orr said staff at County Hall and foster carers in Somerset are paid below average, while Mr Lewis was “the most costly local authority director in the land”.

He added: “Taxpayers have spent almost £1million on two interim directors over 18 months and the service continues to be rated ‘Inadequate’.

“Perhaps social care staff recruitment and retention would be better served by improving pay rates of employed staff to at least the average?

“Somerset is prepared to put 2% on council tax for flood protection, so why can't we raise additional funding for care services for children, adults and the vulnerable across our Somerset communities?”

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be furious that a man presiding over a failing department was costing such an extraordinary amount.

“It’s simply impossible to argue that hard-pressed taxpayers were getting value for money, and it's particularly galling in such a crucial department.

“The council needs to look again at the way the department operates and ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again.”

A county spokesman said: “These figures have been published before, they have been widely circulated in the press and the matter was debated in the council chamber.

“We are delighted to have now appointed a permanent director of children’s services – (Julian Wooster’s appointment was announced last week) - and look forward to working with him to speed up the improvements that we believe we are seeing in the service.”