An independent investigation has decided Norfolk county councillors were not misled over a payoff to its former chief executive.

The review, which was conducted by another former chief executive, Tim Byles, concluded that while the council was not misled over payments to David White, who left earlier this year, the original report given to members could have been clearer.

In January, a report to the council stated it the cost of Mr White leaving would amount to £35,400 in redundancy pay and £48,000 to be put into his pension fund.

But when the annual accounts of the council were published, it emerged Mr White was paid a further £63,600 as ‘pay in lieu of notice' and £7,100 for leave not taken.

‘Although the issue of the costs associated with the departure of chief executives in local government was something being quite widely reported at the time, and the view of the national coalition government on this issue is also well known,' Mr Byles writes.

‘I do not believe that there was any attempt by elected members to amend the report to council in anyway, and in particular not to suppress the whole costs in the report to the council.'