NEWS of a third director leaving Brighton and Hove City Council since last May’s local elections raises a few questions.

As chief executive Geoff Raw told The Argus it is perfectly natural for top staff to move on, especially when they have worked at the council for many years as Pinaki Ghoshal did.

But when three out of six senior officers leave in less than a year, questions must be asked even if Mr Raw believes the departures are “the usual turnover you would expect”.

Firstly, will these recent departures affect the city council’s ability to govern?

Mr Ghoshal was himself filling in for former housing chief Larissa Reed, who had resigned in July.

Chief executive Mr Raw insists the council has the manpower to plug the gaps while new directors are found.

But how long will this search take?

The second question is whether this spate of departures is coincidence.

All three directors in question were in senior positions paying as much as £120,000 a year.

But ex finance chief Dave Kuenssberg left in January for the Home Office.

Meanwhile Mr Ghoshal will soon join Lewisham London Borough Council to lead children’s services there just as he did in Brighton.

What is it about these posts that make them more appealing than a top job at the city council?

And, most importantly, did the three directors leave for similar reasons?

It would be irresponsible to speculate.

But the city council will need to attract some top talent if it hopes to enact its ambitious plans by the end of its term in 2023.