Jeff Jerome has lost his job as Barnet Council's head of community care.

The council made the announcement yesterday afternoon following a two month investigation into bogus reports.

The outcome was matched with an apology from Barnet's director of community services, Jeff Prosser, but provoked fresh criticism from the council's Conservative leader Liz Mammatt who says her confidence in officers' reports has been shattered.

Mr Jerome was suspended at the end of March when performance indicator reports were found to contain "misleading information".

Yesterday the council issued a vague statement which read: "Barnet Council has reached an amicable agreement with Mr Jeff Jerome, its head of community care, that it would not be in the interests of either party for him to continue in this role.

"Accordingly it has been agreed that Mr Jerome will be seconded to an opportunity that has arisen elsewhere, at the end of which secondment he will leave the council's services."

Mr Prosser said he regretted the incident and that all performance indicator information since the incident has been "rigorously checked". He added it was vital members were confident that information was accurate.

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Mammatt said: "We still have to be on our guard. These are not just pieces of paper, they are people's lives."

Mr Jerome's replacement is yet to be decided.

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