ANOTHER week and the council taxpayers of Cornwall – and around 80 councillors plus local authority staff – have still not been updated about the reasons for the sudden absence of the local authority’s chief executive officer a month ago.

A member of the chief officers employment committee, which has been discussing Kate Kennally’s absence behind closed doors, says the public has the right to know what’s going on … within the limits of employment law and policy.

It is understood that sick leave is the official reason given for her absence within Lys Kernow (County Hall) in Truro, though we are aware that other aspects of her absence are also being discussed at County Hall.

The matter was discussed during a long meeting of the chief officers employment committee on Friday, September 25, which lasted for more than six hours and was held in private. A subsequent private meeting was also held this week.

Seven councillors form the committee, including Liberal Democrat council leader Cllr Leigh Frost and Independent deputy leader Cllr Adam Paynter. Reform UK, Green Party, Conservative, Lib Dem and Cornish Independent Non-Aligned councillors make up the rest of the committee.

Green Party group leader and committee member Cllr Drew Creek told us: “We met again on Monday and I can’t really say much more than that. I wish I could to be honest. What I can say is that I was asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before I even got access to the papers of meetings, so I’m bound by that.

“I’ve been really clear with the leader in the meetings that at some point we need to put out a commentary about what’s been going on because, quite rightly, the other 80 members of Cornwall Council, as well as residents, have a right to know what’s going on to a certain degree, mindful of the fact we are talking about an employee of an organisation.

“There’s a balance there. Hopefully, the administration will find some balance going forwards.”

Cllr Creek said any perceived lack of transparency is “reputationally damaging for the council and undermines councillors while we’re out in our communities if people think there’s something going on that they’re not aware of.

“The other thing I made really clear is people are already fed up with things happening in darkened rooms. I think back to Louis Gardner and regardless of whether people have got the right or the wrong end of stick on that whole saga, it doesn’t look good.”

Cllr Creek was referring to the previous Conservative administration’s portfolio member for the economy, Louis Gardner. Mr Gardner resigned as a councillor when he was employed by the council-run Spaceport Cornwall as its head of future air and space.

The Voice revealed last year that, while sitting as a cabinet member, he did not declare an interest during a meeting where a £200,000 grant was approved from the council to Spaceport Cornwall even though he had accepted the top space tech job by that time. The grant was later rescinded and Mr Gardner stood down from his new role.

Ms Kennally is still receiving full pay, while her “stand-in”, interim deputy chief executive Andy Keeling, is being paid on an external contract basis. Council leader Leigh Frost was quizzed by a member of the public during a council meeting in September as to why Cornwall’s taxpayers are funding ‘two chief executives’.

Ms Kennally receives a base salary of £201,661. Mr Keeling was paid around £137,000 to £140,000 per year as the chief operating officer and head of paid service at Leicester City Council, followed by a salary band of £145,000 to £150,000 per year as the chief executive of the Falkland Islands Government.

The council has not issued any further statements concerning Ms Kennally’s absence since their first comment that “the chief executive is currently on a leave of absence.

“This is an important period for the council, with the upcoming budget and other key priorities to deliver, and so interim leadership arrangements are being put in place.”