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Liverpool CEO Ged Fitzgerald suspended by city council

Liverpool City Council has this week suspended its chief executive Ged Fitzgerald, the authority has announced.

Back in May Fitzgerald “stepped aside” from his role due to financial irregularities into a £5m contract for services that he was a part of whilst working at Lancashire CC.

But following a council meeting yesterday, the decision has been taken to suspend the executive, who is also currently on bail on suspicion of witness intimidation and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

“We can confirm that the City Council’s Appointments and Disciplinary Panel met to discuss the circumstances surrounding the chief executive, Ged Fitzgerald. After deliberating carefully, the Panel took the decision to suspend him,” a spokesman for the local authority 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.”

Due to the suspension being classed as a “neutral act,” Fitzgerald will still continue to pick up his £200,000 a year salary.

“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 spokesperson added.

Before taking up the top post at Liverpool, Fitzgerald worked at Lancashire CC, where he was also CEO. The charges against Fitzgerald have been investigated since 2013, when Lancashire Police looked into the tendering of a £5m contract with BT to run some of Lancashire’s services.

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