Thanet Council has reinstated its section 151 officer following his suspension.
Tim Willis, the council’s deputy chief executive, was suspended in August without public explanation by the Kent authority.
The decision to reinstate him was taken earlier this month after members of the general purposes committee unanimously cleared Willis of seven gross misconduct allegations.
The press and media were excluded from the discussions at the meeting about the issue.
The decision followed challenges by opposition councillors, the GMB union and a local residents’ group who had demanded to know the circumstances.
Just days later, political control at the council changed after the Conservative leader Robert Bayford was forced out following an extraordinary council meeting.
Labour group leader Rick Everitt was elected, despite his group having 20 members out 56, thanks to backing from the Green Party.
Labour councillor Karen Constantine, who had been among those to raise concerns expressed her delight at the decision to reinstate Willis.
She told Room 151: “It is good to see him back. We need to ensure something like this never happens again.
“Our staff are the most important and valuable asset we have and we must do everything we can to support them.”
Willis joined Thanet in 2015 as director of corporate resources from States of Guernsey, where he was director of finance & IT and assistant states treasurer.
