Liverpool council chief executive quits

The chief executive of Liverpool City Council, Ged Fitzgerald, has resigned, just days before a crunch meeting to decide his future.

In a statement issued this afternoon (14 May), Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson confirmed he had resigned with immediate effect.

‘Ged Fitzgerald has resigned from his post as chief executive officer of Liverpool City Council with immediate effect,’ said Mr Anderson.

‘I can confirm that he wrote to me this morning and tendered his resignation, which the council has accepted.’

Mr Fitzgerald has been suspended from his post since the autumn, following his arrest on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation, and later release on police bail in May 2017.

Mr Fitzgerald and three other men – including former Lancashire County Council chief executive Phil Halsall and former interim chief executive at Liverpool City Council, David McElhinney – were all arrested by Lancashire police on suspicion of the same charges last year.

The arrests all form part of a wider police investigation into alleged financial irregularities with a multi-million pound BT contract.

None of the four arrested men have been charged

In April, Mr Fitzgerald lost a legal attempt to judicial review his arrest.

He had been expected to leave the council as it was believed the authority’s appointments and disciplinary panel had recommended his departure.

An independent panel had been due to consider the recommendation on Thursday before the matter was discussed at a meeting of full council next week.