The general manager of Brighton and Hove City Council's refuse and street cleaning service has been suspended.

Steve White, the general manager of Cityclean, was escorted off the council-owned premises at Holling-dean two weeks ago.

A statement from Brighton and Hove City Council said: "We can confirm he has been suspended. We are carrying out an internal inquiry and, until the results are known, we can make no further comment."

The suspension was officially confirmed last night. In two weeks, GiIlian Webster will take up the post of assistant director of Cityclean. The post was advertised earlier this year with a salary of between £52,833 and £58, 974.

Mr White, 42, joined Cityclean in November 2001. He was appointed on an 18-month contract, which finishes at the end of May.

He defended his record, saying: "The day I got suspended it was an absolute shock. I expect to be back at work as soon as it has been investigated because I'm totally innocent.

"I know about as much as you do about it. I am waiting for the council to call me in to talk about it."

He was chosen to run Brighton and Hove's refuse and street cleaning service in the aftermath of the troubled contract with Sita, which ended after dustmen and street cleaners occupied the Hollingdean depot in the summer of 2001.

Mr White was suspended on the orders of the director of environmental services in Brighton and Hove Council, Jenny Rowlands. It was one of her last acts before she went on maternity leave.

Councillors said they had been left in the dark as to her reasons.

Councillor Mike Middleton, who was a friend of Mr White, said: "We were talking about travelling to watch the Albion at Sheffield, then the next thing I heard was he had been suspended. I am as surprised as anyone else."