THE head of finance at Bournemouth council has resigned, less than two weeks after the Daily Echo reported she had been suspended.

Liz Wilkinson, who was paid more than £100,000 a year as the borough’s executive director for finance, was to have been the subject of an external investigation after complaints about her behaviour.

Responding to a question from the Echo, Bournemouth Borough Council said: “We can confirm that the executive director for finance, Liz Wilkinson, has resigned from her position.

“The council’s service director for corporate and commercial, Ian Milner, will continue as acting executive director for finance in the interim.”

Liz Wilkinson had been in the post since February 2012 and was paid £103,850 in 2012-13.

The council said earlier this month that she had been suspended “following complaints from a number of senior officers about the postholder’s behaviour”.

The authority said at the time it would not be commenting further “in order to ensure a fair and unhindered investigation”.

Liz Wilkinson came to Bournemouth Town Hall from the Borough of Poole, where she was in charge of the council’s finances for nearly four years. However, her time at Poole was clouded with controversy when it was revealed she had provided a personal recommendation for consultant Adam Osman, who, it was later revealed, had been jailed for taking bribes.

Mr Osman’s £65,000 six-month contract with the Borough of Poole was ended as soon as his previous misdemeanours came to light. He had worked with Ms Wilkinson at the City of York Council and she had e-mailed a councillor to say he had been highly regarded.