SUFFOLK: Controversial chief executive Andrea Hill leaves Endeavour House after costing county council taxpayers more than �1million during her three years in the role, the Evening Star can reveal today.

Mrs Hill’s salary of �218,592 attracted headlines before she started in April 2008 – but when “on costs” including pension and employer’s National Insurance contributions are taken into consideration her total cost to the council was �284,000 a year.

She earned that figure for almost three and a quarter years. On top of that she gets a year’s salary as a compensation package – meaning she will have cost �1.1 million by the time all the costs are considered.

And that does not include the expenses that were part of the council’s investigation which finished yesterday.

Mrs Hill’s departure was confirmed yesterday after the council’s dismissal and appeals committee reconvened after adjourning their meeting after a marathon five-hour session on Thursday.

In notes to its statement announcing Mrs Hill’s departure, the council said it would have cost more than �250,000 to further pursue the issue.

Suffolk Tory MPs had been critical of Mrs Hill’s salary and two of the most vocal welcomed the fact that she had now left the authority.

Ipswich MP Ben Gummer said there had been major concerns about the way the politicians at the county council had regulated Mrs Hill.

He added: “I am confident that (new leader) Mark Bee will find the right person and will work with that person to lead the new council in a new direction.”

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dr Dan Poulter said: “I am pleased that she has now moved on because she had become a distraction for the authority.

“Now the new political leadership can move on and appoint a new chief executive to take things forward in the future.”

Members of the official opposition Liberal Democrats were pleased at the decision.

Group leader Councillor Kathy Pollard said “During my 18 years as a county councillor I have never known such an unhappy time for either the council or Suffolk residents.

“Andrea Hill has been surrounded by controversy. Mrs Hill’s salary of �218,000 has been seen as excessive and unaffordable, especially when the council is having to make tens of millions of pounds in savings.”

When Mrs Hill’s appointment came to the County Council for ratification, the Liberal Democrat group all voted against her appointment and salary package.

n What do you think about the departure of Andrea Hill? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstar letters@eveningstar.co.uk