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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/19/liverpool-council-chief-suspended-on-full-pay-after-arrest
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Liverpool council chief suspended on full pay after arrest | Liverpool council chief suspended on full pay after arrest |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The chief executive of Liverpool city council has been suspended on full pay five months after he was arrested as part of a fraud investigation. | The chief executive of Liverpool city council has been suspended on full pay five months after he was arrested as part of a fraud investigation. |
| Ged Fitzgerald was arrested in May by police investigating alleged financial irregularities at Lancashire county council when he was in charge there. | Ged Fitzgerald was arrested in May by police investigating alleged financial irregularities at Lancashire county council when he was in charge there. |
| He was held on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and witness intimidation but not on suspicion of fraud. He is due to answer bail later this year. | He was held on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and witness intimidation but not on suspicion of fraud. He is due to answer bail later this year. |
| Fitzgerald stepped aside from his Liverpool role after his arrest, and was formally suspended at a disciplinary panel meeting on Monday. | Fitzgerald stepped aside from his Liverpool role after his arrest, and was formally suspended at a disciplinary panel meeting on Monday. |
| A council spokesman said Fitzgerald would continue to receive his full £200,000-a-year salary while an independent investigation was carried out. | A council spokesman said Fitzgerald would continue to receive his full £200,000-a-year salary while an independent investigation was carried out. |
| “We must stress this is a neutral act to allow an independent investigation into issues, including potential reputational impacts on the city council at the current time, to proceed,” the spokesman said. | “We must stress this is a neutral act to allow an independent investigation into issues, including potential reputational impacts on the city council at the current time, to proceed,” the spokesman said. |
| “It is important for the city council, the panel and the chief executive that the investigator is able to make an objective assessment and therefore we are not able to make any further comment at this stage.” | “It is important for the city council, the panel and the chief executive that the investigator is able to make an objective assessment and therefore we are not able to make any further comment at this stage.” |
| The council said it could not say who was carrying out the independent investigation or when it began. | The council said it could not say who was carrying out the independent investigation or when it began. |
| Lancashire police launched an investigation in 2013 into allegations of fraud over a £5m contract with One Connect Ltd, a joint venture between Lancashire county council and BT to run some services. | Lancashire police launched an investigation in 2013 into allegations of fraud over a £5m contract with One Connect Ltd, a joint venture between Lancashire county council and BT to run some services. |
| The deal was agreed by the then Conservative-led administration, whose leader, Geoff Driver, was also arrested on 22 May. It was later cancelled by a Labour-controlled administration. | The deal was agreed by the then Conservative-led administration, whose leader, Geoff Driver, was also arrested on 22 May. It was later cancelled by a Labour-controlled administration. |
| In January Lancashire’s police and crime and commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, said the investigation had cost £2m to date and 22 police officers were working on it. Fitzgerald and Driver are due to answer police bail on 22 November. | In January Lancashire’s police and crime and commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, said the investigation had cost £2m to date and 22 police officers were working on it. Fitzgerald and Driver are due to answer police bail on 22 November. |
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