MALMESBURY town clerk Edward Ferguson will not be returning to his job after a three-month absence, it was revealed yesterday.

Mr Ferguson went on sick leave in January because of stress, complaining to the Standards Board of England of discrimination and harassment.

The board did not investigate but Mr Ferguson, who has been clerk for 18 years, has not returned to work since.

The 54-year-old clerk is due for retirement on July 1 and Mayor Charles Vernon said the town council had offered Mr Ferguson paid leave until that date.

Mr Vernon said: "I think we need to start afresh. We have a review group looking at the way we are running the council and I anticipate it will make a number of recommendations."

The council has also resolved to look for a successor to Mr Ferguson.

Mr Vernon said: "It is something we have got to look into urgently."

He said the council had not drawn up a job specification but would discuss it at the next full council meeting.

Councillors have been helping out at the town hall since the clerk left.

Deputy clerk Sue Webb has returned to work after a two-month absence.

She left within a week of Mr Ferguson departure in January complaining of exhaustion.

Tourist information manager Sandra Pell retired last month.

The council has now brought in a temporary replacement until a new clerk is appointed.

Mr Vernon said despite the staff changes the council was running smoothly.

He said this week: "The town hall is functioning very well indeed."

Mr Vernon will hand over the mayoralty to Coun Patrick Goldstone next month at the end of his official year.

It has been a difficult 12 months for Mr Vernon.

A council review committee is investigating the council's handling of the Sunday market, a £4,000 payout to former employee Dick Jowitt and complaints from the Citizens' Advice Bureau over access to the town hall.

A full update of the committee's meeting and detailed reports can be found at www.malmesburycouncilreview.org.uk