‘Swift action’ has been taken by Northumberland Council’s senior management after ‘several persons in positions of authority and control’ appeared to ‘collude’ with a developer.

A report to the council’s audit committee this week said there was evidence that a former senior planning officer had accepted ‘excessive’ undeclared hospitality, including first-class rail travel, hotel accommodation and fine dining in a private room of a London restaurant owned by a Michelin-starred chef.