HALTON College is staying tight-lipped about the reasons for the suspension of its principal Graham Hilton, despite the announcement of his resignation this week.

Mr Hilton was suspended from his post on October 29, 2004, while an internal investigation was launched by the board of governors, and his resignation took effect from the end of last month.

Yet since the suspension, the college has given no indication of the reason for his suspension and subsequent resignation, claiming that the situation was purely 'an internal matter' which required no external involvement.

A statement, jointly agreed between the parties involved, said: 'Following discussions between the principal's advisers and the advisers to the corporation (the board), and appropriate terms having been agreed, Graham has decided to resign with effect from January 31, 2005.

'Graham has made a considerable contribution to the running of the college in his time with us.

'Graham is extremely grateful for the support of staff and the corporation wishes him well in the future.'

Last November the college said that as the matter related to an individual, it would be 'wholly inappropriate for specific information on the suspension to be made public.'

Procedures were followed to protect the interests of Mr Hilton and the college itself.

The investigation was conducted by a special committee, according to procedures underlined in the DfES regulations.

Last month, Ray Dowd, principal of Wirral College, was appointed as acting principal of Halton College and is currently dividing his working week between the two colleges.

Mr Dowd said: 'My objective is to ensure that the college is led and I am acting principal until such time as the board tell me I am not.

'I will be making recommendations available to them for the future management of the college and we have appointed a new vice-principal who starts in April.

'I am working with some excellent colleagues who have picked up responsibilities when vice-principal Gary Warke moved on for promotion, and they are doing a sterling job acting as ambassadors for the college.

'I cannot give you a timescale for my involvement with the college because that will depend very much on what the board decides and how the future management arrangements will work.'