THE vice chairman of Wigan and Bolton Health authority has resigned from his post after fraud squad investigations were launched into his business dealings.

Mr Barry Neill was dismissed last month as chief executive of the Leigh-based County Palatine Housing Association "for gross misconduct.

Mr Neill is a former non executive director of the health authority, his position as vice chairman was made formal by the Secretary of State on April 1 - only days before his dismissal from Palatine.

At a meeting of Wigan and Bolton Health Authority yesterday, the chairman of the health authority Mrs Lene Pickford told members Mr Neill had tendered his resignation. His position will be taken on by Mrs Jane Monks, a non executive director of the health authority and former member of Bolton Family Health Services Authority.

It will now be left up to the Secretary of State for Health to appoint a sixth non executive director to the health authority.

At the time of Mr Neill's dismissal, a spokesman for County Palatine Housing Society which has recently moved into plush new offices in Leigh town centre, said:

"Mr Neill was dismissed because it was brought to the attention of the board that work had on more than one occasion been carried out for his private benefit and at the society's expense. "The approval of the board had been neither sought nor obtained".

Commercial fraud squad detectives are understood to be investigating the allegations made against Mr Neill, who lives in Banbury Close, Leigh.

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