OPPOSITION leaders on Herefordshire Council have made calls for more transparency following the resignation of a senior officer after months of speculation.

In a joint statement, Cllr Jenny Bartlett, Cllr Terry James, Cllr Bob Matthews and Cllr Anthony Powers, said all members of the council were told on May 23 that the director of resources, Peter Robinson, had been suspended pending independent enquiries that were deemed necessary.

They said the chief executive, Alistair Neill, emphasised the importance of maintaining confidentiality and discretion while the enquiries were ongoing.

Failing to do this would be, he said, potentially damaging both to the individual concerned, and to the integrity of any subsequent investigation.

Mr Robinson was not present at a number of subsequent Herefordshire Council meetings and the Hereford Times’ attempts to gain information – including through a Freedom of Information request – were unsuccessful.

Last Friday, a private meeting of Herefordshire Council’s employment panel – which was set to exclude members of the press and public – was cancelled.

The Hereford Times had submitted a written request, outlining why the newspaper believed the meeting should be open to all, shortly before it was announced that the Shirehall date would no longer take place.

And on that very Friday, the council confirmed to its staff in an internal email that Mr Robinson had resigned as director of resources and Hoople MD designate with immediate effect in order to resume his career in interim management.

Now, opposition leaders are asking for further information in order to promote transparency’ and ‘accountability’.

In the joint statement, they said: “We wish to make it publicly known that we have never been fully briefed in confidence about this very serious matter.

“It is our understanding that the only people who have been involved in this investigation have been the chief executive, the leader of the council and the council’s monitoring officer – with support from outside investigators.

“It is our considered opinion that it should be the norm for the council’s employment panel to be involved in such a matter, or at the very least for the panel to be consulted before a final decision is taken.”

They said elected members were understandably concerned at the turn of events but recognised they were constrained by law as to what they can say publicly in such circumstances.

“We do however feel that now the officer has resigned, opposition group leaders should be allowed far more information,” they said.

“Otherwise the general impression will continue to be ‘it’s all going on behind closed doors again’.”

Herefordshire Council confirmed Mr Robinson’s resignation.