A SENIOR officer at West Oxfordshire District Council has been paid £110,000 compensation for loss of office.

Cath James, who was strategic director for environment, left the council at the beginning of this year.

She was instrumental in tackling the 2007 floods and oversaw the rollout of changes to the district council’s waste collection service last year.

An audit of the council’s 2010/2011 budget, by the Audit Commission, found “mis-statements” relating to her compensation.

Under the heading “termination benefits”, district auditor Maria Grindley said: “Information was not disclosed for the strategic director who has left the council.”

And under the heading “officer remuneration”, she added: “Pension contributions and compensation for loss of office were missing from the note.”

Chief executive David Neudegg said: “This is a confidential matter relating to a former member of staff and neither the council nor the former member of staff is permitted to comment on the matter or circumstances.”

He said the council was found by the commission to have “acted lawfully and achieved value for money”.