A scrutiny committee has voted to see two inquiries into its chief executive’s contract.

Maldon District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee voted for all members to receive a copy of both an internal and external report into Fiona Marshall’s contract and her appointment.

Only three councillors have been allowed to view the reports so far but not make copies.

They were given about an hour to go through two large files.

Councillor Adrian Fluker, who sits on the committee’s working group, said: “We were able to read both reports but not remove them from he room which strikes me as odd.”

Mr Fluker continued: “This has to come out in the open.

“Transparency is very important.

“The public need to know what goes on at this local authority whether it is good, bad or indifferent."

At the meeting, councillor Richard Dewitt said: “Assuming everything has been done correctly, there’s nothing to hide so why can’t this report be released to the working group?"

Committee members voted that they should all receive the two reports when they held their meeting on January 15.