Somerset County Council’s chief executive, who has been absent from her £160,000-a-year job since November, has left the authority “by mutual agreement” it has been announced this week.
Sheila Wheeler has not worked since before the flooding crisis began, with the media being told she was on holiday, off sick and “away from the office”.
Her deputy, Patrick Flaherty, will cover the chief executive duties until a replacement is found.
Ms Wheeler will be paid £40,000 for the three months notice she has been given.
She replaced previous chief Alan Jones who took early retirement in July 2009, shortly after the Conservatives took control of the authority from the Liberal Democrats.
In a similar situation the council said, at the time, it had come to “an amicable agreement” with Mr Jones and some £340,000 was spent replacing him.
Throughout Ms Wheeler’s recent three-month absence, deputy chief executive Mr Flaherty has led the local authority’s response to the flood crisis on the Somerset Levels.
In a written statement, the council did not give the reasons for Ms Wheeler’s departure, but said it wished her well for the future.
“Sheila’s arrival at the council in February 2010 coincided with the first austerity measures coming into force resulting in major budget cuts,” it said.
“She led the council through a prolonged period where significant service and staffing reductions had to be made.
“Sheila has also brought major changes to the way the council operates and is run and we wish her well for the future.”
