BREAKING NEWS: Northampton Borough Council's £135k-a-year chief quits

David Kennedy, who was last reported to be on a £135,000-a-year wage at the authority, has sent an email to staff at the Guildhall stating his intention to step down.

The circular email, leaked to the Chronicle & Echo, reads: "I am writing to let you know that I have today handed a letter of resignation to the leader of the council.

"I have very proud (sic) to have worked for Northampton Borough Council and to lead such an incredibly talented and committed team in Northampton. Everything that has been achieved in the last ten years is down to the hard work of you, the staff employed by the Council, and I wish every one of you the best going forward under new leadership.

"Councillor Nunn intends to enact the provisions of the pay policy to pay me in lieu of notice, therefore my last working day in the office will be Friday the 28th July.

"People who work in the public service and hold the values of public service are exceptional. You help communities and the public, especially the most vulnerable in society, in a wide range of very important ways. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all your efforts for the borough council."

David Kennedy was forced to make a public apology for his role in drawing up the provisions of the £10.2 million loan to Northampton Town Football Club.

Auditors Pricewaterhousecooper levelled serious criticisms at the chief executive when the firm released its damning November 2016 report.

Among a catalogue of failings, it found the authority’s cabinet were asked to approve the loan weeks before independent legal advice was sought from experts; checks on the progress of the stadium involved little more than a drive past in a car and officers were pressured to rush through paperwork for the loan.