Investigation called for into suspended chief’s claims against council leader
OPPOSITION COUNCILLORS DEMAND ANSWERS
OPPOSITION councillors at Northumberland County Council are calling for an immediate independent investigation.
Labour and independent figures say an emergency meeting of the council must be held and a full probe launched after an extraordinary weekend for the local authority.
On Friday, chief executive Daljit Lally emailed councillors and accused Conservative council leader Peter Jackson of potential bias over a “possible conflicted personal relationship that he may have”.
She raised concerns about the council’s development company Advance Northumberland – previously Arch – and informed members she would be calling for a police investigation.
On Sunday, the local authority confirmed Mrs Lally was “on a period of extended leave”. The Chronicle understands she was suspended shortly after sending the email.
Both Northumberland County Council and Coun Jackson have declined to comment any further. With the council without a permanent chief executive in the midst of a public health and economic crisis, opposition figures are demanding answers.
In a letter to Coun Richard Dodd, business chair of the council, the letter states a “lack of appropriate governance and poor political leadership is putting the stability of the council in jeopardy”.
Coun Dodd is urged to invoke his powers to call an extraordinary meeting of the full council to “give the leader the opportunity to explain the current situation and...allow members of this authority to ask appropriate questions”.
It is signed by Labour group leader Susan Dungworth, deputy Labour group leader Scott Dickinson, chair of the Labour group Ian Swithenbank, independent councillor Stephen Bridgett and independent councillor Derek Kennedy.
The signatories say the council has failed in its duty of care to Mrs Lally and her staff and accuse the council’s leadership of keeping elected members in the dark.
The letter continues: “We are in the middle of a global pandemic where this council’s executive team have performed extremely well.
“It is in the interests of Northumberland residents that we use a full council meeting to seek assurances about the management of the current situation and preparations for a potential second wave in the absence of our chief executive.
“The health and wellbeing of the people of Northumberland should be our priority at this time.”
Separately, independent councillor Georgina Hill – who is chair of the audit committee – said: “There continues to be concerns and little assurance around the governance of Advance Northumberland which is extremely disappointing and worrying especially in light of the history with Arch.
“They have now had ample time to get things in order and affect proper cultural change but they seem to continue to believe that they can operate under a kind of ‘splendid isolation’ and have left themselves wide open to the charge of just being Arch under another name”.
Northumberland County Council has been contacted for comment.