POOLE'S town centre manager has been suspended from her job pending an internal investigation.

Gaynor Forryan has not worked at her office in the High Street since the end of January. However, a meeting between the parties is due to be held this week.

Although her employer is the Borough of Poole, Poole Town Centre Management is an arm's-length organisation funded partly by the council but mainly through local business.

The annual budget for 2008/9 is £282,000, of which the council's contribution is £53,000.

Callers to the town centre management office are being informed by team members that she is on "extended leave", and her post is being temporarily covered by council staff.

An investigation is being carried out into alleged irregularities by a consultant appointed from outside the council and it is believed the matter could be resolved in the near future.

The Borough of Poole made its stock response when asked to confirm that Gaynor Forryan had been suspended.

"Borough of Poole can confirm a member of staff has been suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation," said Colin Hague, head of personnel and training services.

"This is in accordance with normal personnel procedures and it is not our policy to comment further on individual staffing matters. Our procedures are applied fairly and equitably to all employees."

Town centre management board chairman Liz Willingham said: "This is an internal matter between employer and employee but it's business as usual in the town centre management office and the team is continuing to work hard to deliver the aims of the organisation."

Gaynor took up the job in August 2006 from Market Harborough, Leicestershire, where she had been town centre manager for four years.

She was unavailable for comment.