A council chief executive who was sacked after spending more than six years on fully paid special leave has asked the local authority for £300,000 in missed holiday pay and other expenses.

Anthony O’Sullivan claims that Caerphilly council in south Wales should reimburse him for holiday pay he argues he did not receive, as well as for legal fees and missed payments that he would have received if he had been able to act as a returning officer in elections.

The Labour-led council is due to discuss the claims at a meeting next week, likely to be held behind closed doors. The agenda item says the members will be debating “claims for payment or reimbursement of sums by the former chief executive”.

O’Sullivan’s move was attacked by Plaid Cymru in Caerphilly, which tweeted: “Wants money in lieu of holidays – you couldn’t make it up!”

The Labour run council will be held in contempt by the public if they agree to the demands of Anthony O’Sullivan Millions of pounds already wasted on this scandal. Wants money in lieu of holidays - you couldn’t make it up! https://t.co/k3SOi9Su7n — Caerphilly Plaid (@CaerphillyPlaid) October 24, 2019

A council insider, who asked not to be named, said: “The people of Caerphilly county will be absolutely staggered at the cheek of these claims. Claiming £159,000 in lieu of leave beggars belief – he’s effectively been on holiday for the past six years. Anthony O’Sullivan has no shame and he’s clearly determined to take council taxpayers to the cleaners.”

O’Sullivan was suspended in 2013 amid allegations relating to pay rises given to himself and two senior officers. He was paid £137,000 a year while on “special leave”.

When he was sacked earlier this month, he warned that the matter was “far from concluded”. He said: “What I would say to the people of Caerphilly now is, wait until the employment tribunal takes place in public, wait until the full facts emerge in the public domain. Then make a reasoned decision.”

On Thursday, it emerged that he was claiming more than £300,000 from the council. The biggest claim is understood to be for payment in lieu of leave since 2013, totalling £159,000. The whole saga is said to have cost the council £4m.

A spokesman for Caerphilly county borough council said: “Following the recent conclusion of disciplinary proceedings, we have now been asked by Mr O’Sullivan to consider a claim for expenses and additional payments from the period of the investigation.

“We can confirm this is not about agreeing a settlement or any other form of pay-off, instead it is a procedural matter that we need to consider now that the disciplinary process has concluded. Councillors will decide how they wish to resolve this issue at the meeting on Monday.”

O’Sullivan could not be contacted for comment.