Council boss leaves after Newcastle-under-Lyme election 'shambles'

John Sellgren has left his role as chief executive

A council boss suspended after a general election voting blunder has permanently left his post.

John Sellgren was suspended as chief executive at Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in November - five months after 1,500 people were unable to cast votes in a seat won by just 30.

Two ineligible people also voted in June 2017 when he was acting returning officer.

Mr Sellgren has departed by mutual consent, the authority says.

Elizabeth Dodd, the council's head of audit and elections at the time, remains suspended.

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Paul Farrelly won the Newcastle-under-Lyme seat in June 2017 by 30 votes

Labour's Paul Farrelly polled 21,124 votes to win the Newcastle-under-Lyme seat - 30 votes ahead of Conservative Owen Meredith.

Mr Farrelly described the problems as a "shambles".

The Association of Electoral Administrators, in an independent investigation into events leading up to the vote, blamed a "complex picture of administrative mistakes around registration and postal voting processes" which meant those disenfranchised included first-time voters and students.

Mr Sellgren did not return to his Staffordshire post between November's suspension and Thursday's announcement of his departure.

The council said it had made no "additional payments" to the outgoing boss.

The investigation into events around the election was announced days after the result

Thanking him for seven years' service, a local authority statement said: "The council recently had its first all-out elections and the new administration has an ambitious manifesto and many significant projects to deliver in the years ahead.

"With this in mind the authority will now consider what management leadership arrangements to put in place to support this programme."

Mr Sellgren said: "I have enjoyed my time at Newcastle and send my best wishes to the dedicated team of staff and partners with whom it has been a pleasure to have worked."

The Association of Electoral Administrators said in November the vote's outcome would stand as the 21-day deadline for a challenged had passed.