WHAT on earth is going on at Winchester City Council?

Our exclusive story reveals an extraordinary breakdown at the top of the organisation between senior officers and Kim Gottlieb, the city councillor whose self-funded legal action derailed the Silver Hill scheme and who also opposed the Station Approach proposals.

http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/14734769.Winchester_City_Council_leader_suspends_Kim_Gottlieb_from_Silver_Hill_group/

Departing chief executive Simon Eden has accused him of bullying behaviour and destroying the necessary respect and trust between officers and members through his strong words over the way the council handles such major developments.

Council leader Stephen Godfrey said he had to suspend Cllr Gottlieb from the Central Winchester Regeneration Group that was tasked with coming up with new ideas for Silver Hill to stop the situation escalating.

Cllr Gottlieb says he feels like he is the one being bullied for his stance on Silver Hill that in effect humiliated the city council.

You almost could not make this up. What next, a punch up in the corridors? What is this, Lambeth or Islington councils back in the 1980s?

But one thing is now absolutely crystal clear. It is imperative that the new chief executive must be appointed from outside this organisation, someone who can come in with no baggage and get this authority back onto to some kind of even keel.