A senior officer at Norfolk County Council has abruptly left the authority, with opposition councillors calling for answers about his sudden exit.
Simon Hughes was director of property at the council, responsible for managing the council's asset portfolio, including care homes, libraries, other council buildings and 16,000 acres of County Farms.
But the council confirmed that Mr Hughes had left the authority this week, apparently without serving notice, after nine years and eight months at the authority.
The council would not provide a reason for the 44-year-old Oxford University and Royal Agricultural University graduate's departure.
Nor would they explain whether he had received an exit package, saying it did not go into detail about individual staff members.
Staff at County Hall were simply told: “Simon Hughes has left Norfolk County Council. Simon has been at the council for nine years as director of property.
"For our members and contacts who have worked with Simon, we will ensure a smooth handover and continuity of support. We wish him every success in the future.”
Opposition councillors highlighted how the rapid exit of Mr Hughes followed the similarly sudden departure of the authority's former chief executive Tom McCabe in June, just over a month after Reform took control of County Hall.
He has since been replaced by Dennis Bacon, although the circumstances of his appointment has sparked controversy.
Mr Hughes had been closely involved in the proposed deal to sell 20 care homes and the county council-owned Norse Care group which runs them to private provider Stow Healthcare.
Kay Mason Billig, Conservative group leader, whose administration had agreed to that in-principle sale when it ran County Hall, said: “I was surprised and saddened to hear of the sudden departure of Simon Hughes, a highly competent and respected senior officer who has served Norfolk County Council for many years.
“His abrupt disappearance, without any apparent reason, raises serious questions about what is happening behind the scenes at County Hall.
“Simon was closely involved in the proposed sale of the Norse care homes, a transaction which the Reform administration subsequently abandoned without proper explanation. I sincerely hope he is not being made a scapegoat for their political decisions.
“We are seeing experienced senior officers leaving the council, and Reform must expect questions about how it treats its professional leadership.
"Are these officers leaving of their own accord, or is something else going on?
“I wish Simon well, but his swift and unexpected departure leaves some very uncomfortable questions for the Reform administration to answer.”
Brian Watkins, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, said it was "deeply disturbing" another senior member of staff had left so abruptly.
He said: “Although the reasons for Mr Hughes's departure are unclear at this stage, it would be surprising if it was not related to the controversy surrounding the sale of the Norse care homes.
"The Lib Dem group will be seeking urgent answers, but what is not beyond doubt is that the council cannot afford to keep losing key members of staff.”
Maxine Webb, Green group leader, said: “It's troubling to discover that another senior officer has left suddenly, under unknown circumstances.
"The timing of their abrupt departure amidst decision making over the council's care homes raises real concerns, including who might be lined up to replace him.
“Is this administration making it untenable for certain senior staff and doing deals to get people out so they can ship in their own? The administration needs to come clean about what's going on.”
A spokesman for the Reform administration said the group would not be commenting.
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