SOUTHEND Council’s new chief executive is believed to have left his £185,000 post just eight months into the job and has been followed by two other senior directors.

In what appears to be an exodus of senior managers, a reliable source said chief executive Rob Polkinghorne and Giles Gilbert, director of legal services are currently “on leave” with the council unable to confirm their return.

John Burr, director of neighbourhoods and communities is said to have come to the end of his contract, which will not be renewed.

Asked to confirm the latest departures, Tony Cox, leader of the council, said: “I can confirm that as an agency member of staff, John Burr’s contract has come to an end and he is no longer employed.

"The other two, I can’t comment on internal staffing matters."

It follows the departure of Paul Rabbitts, head of parks and open spaces at Southend Council, who quit last month after just 15 months in the post.

Mr Rabbitts cited a “toxic atmosphere” in an email to councillors following his resignation soon after Conservatives took over the administration of the council after May’s elections

In his email, Mr Rabbits said there had been “a total lack of professionalism towards officers”.

A review of Southend Council by the Local Government Association under the previous Labour-led administration, led to a scathing report which called for four-yearly elections to stamp out “caustic and divisive” behaviour around the council’s decision making process.

Mr Polkinghorne, formerly chief operating officer at Aberdeen City Council, took over the £185,000 a year post at Southend Council from interim chief executive Andy Lewis who stepped in following the resignation of Alison Griffin in April 2021.

When he took up his post last year, Mr Polkinghorne said he was excited to be at the helm of the country's newest city and vowed to make Southend the "number one tourist destination in the UK".

The council has struggled to attract senior managers in recent years and spent some time trying to appoint a new chief executive.

Mr Polkinghorne was eventually hired after a pay increase saw the chief executive salary rise from from £163,496 to £185,000.