CITY mandarins are looking into the possibility of lifting the gagging order imposed on former town clerk John Burrows The Citizen can reveal.

The leader of the Independent group on the council, Tricia Heath confirmed this week that officers have been asked to look into the controversial gagging clause which was imposed by the former ruling Labour group.

Mr Burrows left office under a veil of secrecy midway through 1997 after holding the authority's top post for just 18 months.

The issue provoked outrage at the time when a press release outlining the decision to let Mr Burrows go with a gagging order was issued before councillors had taken their seats to debate the issue.

Mr Burrows' pay-off to terminate his contract was in the region of £100,000. His duties were then split between David Corker and Charles Wilson. At the time council leaders refused to say why the Town Clerk went and because of the gagging order Burrows himself could say nothing.

Before he left it was reported that Mr Burrows had been asked by some councillors to look at a number of controversial planning issues including a development at Know Hill, Laithbutts Lane, Altham Meadow and others.

It is not known whether his inquiries had progressed in any way but it is felt in light of recent confusion surrounding the Winter Gardens the authority's whole planning policy should be looked at again.

But inquiries would not be necessarily restricted to planning matters.

Cllr Heath said: "Many of us still wonder why Mr Burrows went and we would like to know why it was felt necessary to impose a gagging order."