Secrecy surrounds the first meeting of a special panel set up to investigate Worthing Borough Council chief executive Sheryl Grady.

Four councillors on the newly-formed special personnel committee met at Worthing Town Hall yesterday but refused to comment afterwards.

The GMB union, which is representing a member of the chief executive's department as part of the inquiry, was not invited to attend.

Press and public were banned from the cross-party meeting, which involved Liberal Democrat councillors Donald Lissenburg and John Lovell and Tory councillors John Livermore and Peter Welch.

Today, Coun Lovell said: "I cannot comment on what happened at the meeting. It was in closed session."

Frank Minal, regional organiser for the GMB, said: "It is an independent inquiry. I doubt they will call me but they may call my members.

"Sometimes these sort of investigations can take a few days or a few weeks, depending on what the investigation brings up. It is a fairly emotive subject."

Last week, The Argus exclusively revealed that councillors had been gagged by threats of legal action if they revealed details of the investigation.

The warning was circulated as town hall officials try to clamp down on leaks relating to the inquiry, which has been branded "draconian".

The revelations sent shockwaves around the borough's corridors of power and resulted in councillors receiving an urgent memo ordering them not to talk.

One town hall source said: "We have been warned that everything will be thrown at us legal-wise."

Penelope Cronin, a council spokeswoman, said: "It is right and proper for such an organisation to deal with such matters confidentially.

"The articles in the local Press have contained speculation and inaccuracies. The council regrets a confidential personnel issue is being reported in the Press."