LANCASHIRE County Council leader Geoff Driver has barred his chief executive and four senior staff from all briefings which he attends.

The 72-year-old Burnley-born Tory politican has also ordered the four to communicate with him only in writing.

The move was branded extraordinary by a former Cabinet Minister Jack Straw.

Cllr Driver was one of four people arrested and interviewed by police in May as part of the long-running One Connect police inquiry into Lancashire County Council contracts.

He is on police bail ‘on suspicion of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice and Witness Intimidation’ pending further investigations.

All county councillors were emailed yesterday by the authority’s chief executive Jo Turton.

It said: “At the request of the leader and for the foreseeable future I, Ian Young, Eddie Sutton, Lisa Kitto and Ruth Lowry will no longer attend any briefings at which the leader is present.

“We will continue to support and advise the leader and cabinet but all communication with and advice to the leader from the officers listed above will be in writing.”

Former Blackburn MP and Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw said: “This is extraordinary.

“After becoming a councillor in 1971, an MP in 1979 and spending 11 years as Cabinet Minister I have never seen anything like this in 46 years in politics.

“It suggests a total breakdown of relations between Cllr Driver and his senior staff team.”

Labour group leader and Nelson East county councillor Azhar Ali has written to Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid describing the situation as ‘wholly unacceptable’.

He tells him: “I would ask as a matter of urgency you personally intervene to stop this situation continuing and ask Cllr Driver and to withdraw this edict or resign.”

County Cllr Ali said: “This is extraordinary and it suggest a total breakdown of relations between Cllr Diver and his most senior staff.

“It will make the county council a national laughing stock.”

County Cllr Driver refused to make any comment when contacted by the Lancashire Telegraph.

County Cllr Peter Britcliffe, chair of the authority’s Tory group and representative for Oswaldtwistle, said; “Geoff is on police bail and this seems a sensible way to ensure the smooth running of the county council while the police investigation is continuing.

“As all the officers named in the email are potential witness, it is is wise to avoid prejudicing any individuals role in further enquiries.”

Mr Young is director of Governance, Finance and Public Services; Mr Sutton, director of Development and Corporate Services; Ms Lowry, head of Internal Audit; and Ms Kitto, director of Corporate Services.

A Lancashire police spokesman said no instructions or advice had been given to Cllr Driver on the issue adding: “This remains a complex on-going investigation.”

A spokesman for the council said: “We can confirm that these are the operational arrangements that have been put in place by the leader of the county council.”