OPPOSITION councillors have hit out at a £600,000 "exit package" paid to a former Glasgow council official.

SNP group leader Graeme Hendry said the figure paid to retired social work director David Crawford was "horrifying".

And Conservative councillor David Meikle described the sum as "outrageous". Mr Crawford received the £589,000 package when he retired last December at the age of 54.

Accounts show it included a £109,217 payment as "compensation for loss of office" from the £129,000-a-year post, with the rest boosting his pension.

Mr Crawford had a

33-year career in social work, but only joined Glasgow City Council in 2007.

On being asked to comment, he said: "It's absolutely nothing to do with me. I don't work for the council any more."

The council's unaudited accounts for 2012-13 also show two other Glasgow officials received exit packages worth more than £350,000.

John Kane, head of vocational education, got a £371,000 goodbye, while executive HR manager Margaret Conner had a £453,000 deal.

The average severance deal in the Scottish public sector is £38,740.

Councillor Hendry called on Labour leader Gordon Matheson to justify the sums.

He said: "These figures will be horrifying to Glasgow taxpayers.

"For one person in social work to get a package of over half a million pounds in the same year that the vulnerable elderly are forced to pay for safety alarms and adults with learning disabilities are thrown out of their day centres is callous."

Glasgow Tory councillor David Meikle said: "It's outrageous that the council are awarding such generous deals when services are being cut."

A Council spokesman said: "The council has significantly reduced the size of its workforce over recent years and our early retirement and voluntary redundancy schemes will generate annual, recurring savings of £55m for the city."