Allegations of misconduct against the deputy chief executive of Thanet DC have been dropped, The MJ understands.

Tim Willis returned to work two weeks ago, following a six-week suspension. He was suspended in August amid claims he interfered in a formal grievance decision made by Thanet's director of corporate governance and monitoring officer, Tim Howes.

Now the council has confirmed he will face no further action, after the General Purposes Committee decided unanimously to dismiss the allegations.

AT the time of his suspension, councillors claimed they had not been involved in the allegations or the decision to suspend Mr Willis.

Thanet Independents councillor Stuart Piper told The MJ: ‘A committee of elected members should be hearing any grievances instead of officers.

'Councillors are being kept in the dark deliberately.

'All of this is bringing the council into disrepute.'

The council drew up an improvement plan in February 2016 to ‘ensure progress continues' after a corporate peer challenge from the Local Government Association in March 2014.

However, regular monitoring of the plan has now stopped and a fresh peer challenge is now overdue.