Rayleigh town clerk, Myrna Liles, has resigned but was yesterday (Wednesday) remaining tight-lipped about her sudden departure.

Town council chairman Mike Handford, who is on holiday in America, will be told when he flies back today and other councillors have refused to comment until he has been informed.

Myrna has worked for Rayleigh Town Council for two-and-a-half years but is due to leave her post on Friday.

Until a replacement is found, the council offices will be closed to casual callers and councillors will take their own minutes at meetings.

Myrna declined to discuss her departure but said: "I didn't expect to go so soon. I'm not happy here. This isn't the job I thought it was."

She added: "The people of Rayleigh are great. That's all I can say."

Myrna, of Wickford, who has worked for councils in Great Wakering, Buckhurst Hill and Burnham in Buckinghamshire, is to take up a job with South Essex Health Authority.

For two years she is to run the Community Health Council in the Basildon and Thurrock area.

Though community health councils are due to be dissolved by the Government, Myrna's new role is set to continue until 2001.

Town council vice-chairman Peggy Pearse said: "I'm not prepared to speak about this until our chairman has been informed. There is no mystery. It is just protocol that the chairman should know about it first."

Councillor Jeannette Helson said the town council office at Rayleigh Civic Suite would be closed to casual callers until a new clerk was appointed.

She said: "I don't think this will cause a lot of problems for the public. The district council has an information desk where people should be able to get any information they require."

The 29-hours-a-week post of town clerk is to be advertised.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.