BOURNEMOUTH Council’s chief accountant, who was suspended for speaking out about a controversial outsourcing deal, has been reinstated.

Stephen Parker was suspended and escorted from the town hall last October after emailing concerns about the second outsourcing deal with Mouchel to councillors before a crucial cabinet meeting.

Mr Parker told members he had been unable to communicate his concerns as part of the report and accompanying papers going before cabinet and had been placed in a “very difficult position”.

In his email he told councillors: “The cabinet report does not provide an adequate assessment of risks or deliver an independent and robust evaluation of the two options considered.”

He said the council had failed to consider options that would have provided “a more balanced financial and risk-assessed contract” and said he was writing to councillors “with a degree of disappointment”.

Unhappy with the move, council chiefs immediately suspended him on full pay.

However, in a statement yesterday, a spokesperson for Bourne-mouth Council said Mr Parker had accepted the council’s decision, allowing them to “move forward”.

The statement, signed by council chief executive Tony Williams, Mouchel director, Anthony Williams, and Stephen Parker, said: “Mr Parker accepts that the Council has made its decision to transfer Finan-cial Service to Mouchel Limited following democratic process and scrutiny of the factors affecting that decision and it is appropriate for them to move forward on that basis.

“The Council accepts that Mr Parker made public the information contained in his email of the 11th of October with honest intent.

“The Council has withdrawn the suspension of Mr Parker and has informed Mouchel Limited, his new employer, of that decision.

“In all of these circumstances, we the undersigned hereby state that all matters have now been resolved by mutual agreement between the parties.”

Cllr Ann Rey, leader of the Independent group on Bournemouth Borough Council, said: “We want a public apology to Steve and his family.”

The council has transferred six departments to Mouchel in two enormous deals worth around £180million over 10 years.

• Last week, we reported that Bournemouth council’s top legal officer, Joy Postings, has also been removed from her post.

The service director for law and governance is on “long-term leave” from the council, with her bosses refusing to comment on the matter.

The decision to remove her from the town hall follows an investigation into her actions during a 15-month investigation and hearing into the conduct of Cllr John Beesley, then its deputy leader and now leader.