One of Kent County Council’s most senior and highest paid officials has taken a sudden and unexpected leave of absence from her role.

Zena Cooke, corporate director for finance and procurement, is understood to be still working for the authority but her deputy John Betts has now stepped into the position.

Her role carries a salary of up to £155,000 a year, according to KCC bandings.

Conservative KCC leader Roger Gough read a short statement to his group members yesterday morning (Jan 22) at County Hall. Cllr Gough gave no reason for Ms Cooke’s absence.

Ms Cooke’s job, which she has held for more than five years, is significant because she also acts as the Section 151 officer at KCC.

Her absence was noted at a key KCC meeting last week.

By law, the holder can issue a Section 114 notice, declaring the council effectively bankrupt if it cannot meet its statutory duties with the funding provided by central government.

One backbencher told LDRS: “No idea what’s going on. There are a lot of rumours now circulating, of course, none of which I would give any credence to.”

‘Zena’s role is the toughest in local government at the best of times and these are the hardest of times...’

Thanet Labour county councillor Barry Lewis said: “News to me - but it sounds serious.”

The council said: “KCC is not commenting on this.”

Ms Cooke has worked in local government for more than three decades, including as Director of Resources at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, where she was the Section 151 officer.

Before that, she was a senior official at Maidstone Borough Council, according to her LinkedIn account.

KCC faces having to make drastic cutbacks as it scrambles to find tens of millions of pounds of savings or face having to issue a section 114 notice.

Another Tory backbencher said: “Zena’s role is the toughest in local government at the best of times and these are the hardest of times - there are enormous pressures from all sides.

“She’s uber experienced and has been in post for a long time. But no one will say anything but then that’s normal for most Conservative backbenchers these days.”