The top man in one of Britain's most successful parish councils has left his job after being told to clear his office.

Brian Daley, town clerk and chief executive of Swanley Town Council and Swanley Banqueting, was ordered out earlier this week. He will officially leave on January 6.

His departure leaves the council without a legal chief.

Opposition councillors are meeting this week and are expected to call in the District Auditor.

The Conservative administration insists Mr Daley negotiated a severance package on his £80,000-plus salary), but opposition councillors fear he could have a case for the Employment Tribunal. Mr Daley had been head of the council since succeeding Colin Roden in 1999.

The Conservative administration recently commissioned an independent report to save £60,000 a year. It concluded Mr Daley's job and that of the chief financial officer should be merged, and the post paid at slightly more than the finance chief currently receives.

Last week the confidential report - which will not be discussed by the full council until the end of November - became public. It was extensively reported in the Dartford Messenger.

Swanley's Mayor and vice chairman of the personnel committee , Cllr Victor Southern, claimed agreement had been reached with Mr Daley.

"I am sorry he is going. He was a lot more adept than other town clerks I have heard about," said Cllr Southern.

His committee discussed the report behind closed doors. Mr Daley drew up an alternative report that proposed cutting his own salary.

He was appointed 13 years ago in the wake of publicity about the way his predecessor ran Swanley Banqueting.

Mr Daley was unavailable to comment, but it is disputed by Labour councillors that he agreed to the severance.