The Chief Executive of Lancashire County Council Phil Halsall has been suspended from work pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation.
The council’s Urgency Committee made the decision in a meeting held at County Hall earlier today. It follows an independent review of the tender process for a contract to run the council’s fleet services.
The Urgency Committee has also appointed Jo Turton, the council’s Executive Director for Environment, as interim Chief Executive with immediate effect.
The council say they will be making no further comment pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.
Mr Halsall was chief executive at South Ribble Council before leaving
to become executive director of resources in 2000 at Liverpool City
Council. He has been at Lancashire County Council since 2009.
He was promoted to Chief Executive in 2010 on a reported salary of £195,000. He said he was ‘pleased and honoured’ at his new job, in charge of 42,000 staff at that time.