The Wandsworth chief executive should repay part of his performance related bonus after "weaknesses" in children's services in the borough were revealed, according to opposition councillors.

Wandsworth was subject to an unannounced Ofsted inspection before Christmas, and though the full details of the report are not available until mid-February, the council has said "weaknesses in social work practice and managerial oversight" have been found.

January 27: "Weaknesses" identified in Wandsworth's children's services leads to staff shake-up ahead of agreement with Richmond

At a special council meeting in Wandsworth on Wednesday evening, councillors approved a measure to spend more than £500,000 to reshuffle top tier managers to pre-empt problems that may arise in the report.

The reorganisation is a temporary move until March 2017 and will delay the shared staffing arrangement with Richmond in that department.

Leader of the opposition councillor Rex Osborn, asked if leader councillor Ravi Govindia would ask chief executive Paul Martin to repay some of his performance related pay in light of the Ofsted warnings.

Coun Govindia said: "It is a luxury of never being in power that you can ask for heads to roll.

"Let us see what the report says.

"There is no attempt to sweep this under the carpet.

"I am not hiding behind the children."

Last year, Mr Martin was given a 7.16 per cent award, the lowest given since the scheme was introduced.

His maximum is 20 per cent.

Cabinet member for children's services councillor Kathy Tracey attempted to have press removed during discussions over Mr Martin's performance related pay.

Coun Tracey said: "I do not think it is possible to fully prepare for the changing Ofsted regime.

"On some days we had over 10 inspectors at a time.

"The strain and stress on people in the department and myself, I do not think it was possible to prepare."

Coun Tracey said "the game has changed" and said that many other councils had gone from good or outstanding ratings to unsatisfactory under new Ofsted procedures.

She said: "I am sorry that the council is about to receive a poor report of the services delivered to some of our most vulnerable residents.

"We are reacting to the verbal feedback from Ofsted.

"I am sorry council has being asked to make serious decisions without full details that everybody would normally expect to have."

Under a shared staffing arrangement between Richmond Council and Wandsworth Council, Mr Martin will become chief executive of both once Gillian Norton retires this summer after 16 years.

The Conservative group in Wandsworth faced criticism from several members of the opposition for the speed of changes in departments across the council.

Labour councillor Peter Carpenter said: "Richmond and Wandsworth together means Wandsworth will be 50 per cent bigger but Richmond will be three times the size.

"They are not natural partners.

"Joint working was a political initiative and the politicians failed to give the officers the tools they require for the job."